Naraku's mind games
by 0mohni0
Summary: Naraku got tired of trying to kill Inuyasha and Sesshomuru,he knows he'll win.So,he decides to have some fun with them,namely making Sesshomaru and Kagome swap bodies at any time he likes.What happens when they both become psychic too?Rated for swearing.
1. Chapter 1

Narakus mindgames

**Disclaimer;I do not own Inuyasha or any part of it.**

**Naraku's mind games**

**Inuyasha's battle**

"Stupid wench!" Inuyasha muttered for the thousandth time they had been traveling towards the village. "Stupid kagome's school!" he kept mumbling under his breath.

Kagome sighed. It was not like she was'ent used to Inuyasha acting like this but was it her fault that she had a stupid test next week? She detested those stupid math tests but she was going to fail if she didn't attend as many as she could.

Behind the ,Sango ,Miroku, Shippo,and Kirara had the same thing going through their minds but thinking it differently.

'I wish Inuyasha would grow up'

'oh Inuyasha, when will you learn that the only way to earn a lady's respect and love is to go along with their every desire!'

'Inuyasha, you are such a jerk! Stop bugging kagome for once will you? Hmmmm…I wonder if kagome will bring more chocolate for me this time…..I hope she brings the white kind!'

'meow meow meow….ha..inuyasha that immature brat… I wis shippo would get off me…..hey..if I suddenly transform into my cute me…then shippo will be thrown off! heheh..evil me!'

And so each lost in their thoughts,but cursing Inuyasha nonetheless, they all wandered back to the bone-eaters well.

000000000000000

Everyone waved goodbye(except inuyasha, who was staring by the corner of his eye)as kagome flung her backpack into the well and was about to climb down herself when her eyes rolled up, her mouth hung open and she fell, dead to the world in the bone-eaters well.

00000000000000000

Sesshoumaru, tai youkai of the west, eldest son of the greatest dog demon ever, was taking a leisurely stroll through a park, his face cracked up in a smile. Whoa. Corrections. Sesshoumaru, tai youkai of the west, eldest son of the gratest dog demon ever,was traveling with Rin and Jaken, the little green kappa, through a field of flowers, to Rin's delight.

He watched her with curiosity, he never had managed to figure out why she loved those things so much. They were only plants to him, although as he notice out of the corner of his eye, an arch enemy for Jaken. Rin took full advantage of this as she showered flowers on him and watched him cringe with glee. _Rin, you are becoming quite evil I see, he thought but…, if it is at the kappas expense then……this is quite amusing._

He kept his thought to himself and smiled at his adopted daughter. From the inside of course! _It just wouldent do for one of his minions to see him smiling…..what would happen to his hard-earned I am the ultimate ice prince reputation? Dreadful! Next thing you know they would be bold enough to ask which eyeliner he used! Unacceptable. Nononononono. Not gonna happen. That is one of my DEEPEST ,DARKEST secrets. _He thought,momentarily horrified at the thought before he controlled himself.

_Even Rin dosent know…...i might tell her when she's old enough to use it ,though._Right now …he thought very,very,very deep down under all his layers……_I like Rin…..as she is._

_But that still dosent explain her obsession with flowers.hmmmm…perhaps I should join her in scaring the crap out of jaken one of these days…it looks __**quite**__ amusing._

Thinking of other ways to give the annoying, pathetic, over-loyal green kappa a heart-attack was how he kept himself occupied…that was before god decided that he rather liked Jaken(who couldent resist?) and made Sesshomaru fall into a dead faint.

It was almost like he tripped over something and the still-graceful Sesshomaru tumbled down from his high flying thoughts.

0000000000

"Inuyasha!go after her! COULDENT YOU SEE THAT SHE FAINTED IN THE WELL??"

With every word Sango hit Inuayasha with her

boomerang,"Go.(bam)After.(crush)Her.(owww)Now!!"

"Ok,ok! Going! Sheesh! Its probably just one of her 'I forgot there was a test tomorrow faints' anyway! "Inuyasha replied somewhat crankily. _Like they had to tell him to take care of kagome! _But he was worried though. He hadent seen her fainting because he looked away when she was about to jump. He tried not to watch her then. It made him somehow get the feeling that she was no longer under his protection now..and somehow vunerable to danger..even though he knew he wouldent have won quite a number of battles without her and she wasent all that weak. Not that he would ever tell her so though. He still had his personal pride to uphold though……he wouldent give praise that easily.

He jumped down the well and found kagome lying there. '_Strange_' he thought '_we're still in the same era_'hmmm…. '_but still she has to get to kaede' _he thought while jumping up.

'_I wonder what happened……I didn't even upset her this time!..._(his conscious stares_)..well mabey just a bit.._'

His friends trailed behind him, trying not to interrupt his train of thought.

Sango whispered to Miroku and Shippo '_well…he dosent think like that very often….let le thim try …who knows he might even have a decent idea for once._"

Inuyasha replied over his shoulder, "I heard that sango!" ,just as they entered kaede's hut.

Kaede looked up." Tell me why is it that thee always bring kagome back to the village unconscious?" and continued to mutter under her breath "Sometimes I think that perhaps thee does it as not to break your record!"

Inuyasha scowled "And I wonder why you people keep forgetting I can usually hear what you say under your breath!"

Miroku, interrupting the possible threat of World War -1 quickly intervened "Before you carry on.. kaede I would suggest having a look at kagome first."

"Hhmph" Was all the reply he got but Kaede started to examine her as Shippo told how she fell.

As Shippo was re-telling every single detail to Kaede…Inuyasha sat there feeling immensely guilty. He mentally kicked himself" Idiot. Look what you did now! You should have caught her…but instead you decided not to look! Hell, if kagome had a serious fall you know you could never forgive yourself!" The battle raged on inside him "comeon I could forgive myself…after all its not like she's anything more than my jewel detector! After all…it kikiyo I can never forget! When kagome's away for more than a day..I even forget her name!"

"Inuyasha " his conscious chided him "Do you really want to fool yourself? You know that when shes gone back to her own time, you go back and get her because you miss her more and less because your search for the sacred shikon jewel is halted!"

"No,I don't!"

"yes you do!"

"no"

"yes"

"no"

"yes"

The battle raged on as Miroku wondered 'hmmm…I wonder what Inuyasha is pondering with that worried look on his face!' A little gasp escaped his lips. 'Inuyasha must really be worried about kagome! Reminder;tease Inuyasha about this later.'

Suddenly a scream was heard from within the hut. Everyone snapped to attention and the little kisune look sheepish. 'I cant beleive I let myself scream like that! Still…it is something worth screaming over….if kagome dosent wake up than im gonna have to postpone my chocolate eating time!'

At this Shippo jumped on top of Kagome and before anyone could reach him, started slapping her. "Wake up ,wake up!" He screamed as tears slid down his cheeks for his post-poned chocolate.

000000000000

Sesshomaru woke up to Rin holding his hand and running her little fingers through his long silver hair. He was lying up straight…someone must have flipped him. He sat up, startling Rin but could not see anyone who could do so for the green kappa was lying unconscious next to him.

Getting over her startlment,Rin asked quietly "Sesshomaru-sama? Are you alright?Rin was worried about you."

There was noone watching so he let a constrained smile come across his face,which came across more of a grimace,but Rin got the meaning. He asked her "Who flipped me straight? And when did Jaken get hurt?"

Rin replied "Jaken also fell after seeing you so Rin brought him here and turned Sesshimaru-sama around."

Sesshomaru's eyed glinted with hate as he gave the unconscious Jaken a long hateful glare. '_right kappa. You faint on me so Rin has to do all the work and noone was there to help or protect her.you are going to get it good for this!_'he seethed and as a way to rid himself of the anger, he went and brutally kicked Jaken in the side while Rin watched with wide eyes.

Jaken woke up immediately and sprung up, immediately the helpful servant again. Sesshomaru smiled an evil smile. Jaken gulped and waited for his death to come. It didn't. he looked at Sesshomaru and blurted out "oh master! Please dont smile at me! Forgive me for any crime I committed!" and fell at Sesshomaru's feet, begging.

Sesshomaru growled "Never(kick)leave(kick)Rin(kick)alone(kick)again(kick)!"

And just to top it off,to get it into the little kappas head,for good measure, another kick.

Rin just watched Jaken's punishment with a grimace every time he got kicked.

But she didn't interfere. After all, Sesshomaru–sama knew what he was doing. She looked at him amiably 'Sesshomaru-sama knows everything' she thought happily.

00000000000000

But Rin was mistaken. Sesshomaru didn't know of Naraku's latest mind game. Neither did anyone else for that matter. No one knew but himself as he lay in bed, smiling wickedly because the first part of his grand confusion plan was complete.

'_I am so smart,'_ he thought to himself running his long fingers through his jet black hair. _'I am smarter than all of them!ha! the pitiful souls!I even have prettier hair!"_

00000000000000000

Wow! First story, first chapter! please tell me what you think!

Oh, and because I thought (if anyone even reads this)might like to know, I will try to update every Friday.

Please……don't keep me in suspense…..I really want some feedback.

Review this story……….see even the button says it! All hail the button!

By 0mohni0


	2. Chapter 2

But miroku had also come across a theory

**Naraku's mind games**

**Kagome awakens**

Kagome awoke to her friends peering on top of her and a strange feeling of being watched. _Well obviously_ she thought to _herself there are three people, and hanyou and a kitsnue watching_. But her miko powers didn't allow the feeling to leave so she just shook it off and concentrated on getting up because her personal space was over-crowded.

"uhh my head!" Kagome complained.

"What happened? Why do you get so weak, going unconscious? Don't you know how guilt--badly you could have hurt yourself from falling in the well? Dont you ever do that again!" Inuyasha barely caught up on his words in time. Kagome had a throbbing head so she didn't catch that little slip of the tongue but Sango did.

She stared. Hard. Inuyasha squirmed under her glare but got an excuse to look away when Kagome fired back her reply.

"do you thing I do it on purpose? Oh no I just **love **to go unconscious the day before my--aaaaaaaah!" she screamed as if someone was torturing her.

"what's wrong?" Inuyasha shouted and tried to reach her as fast as possible, accidentally kicking Sango, and jumping over Kaede.

Kagome watched him with wide eyes. It wasn't **that** much of an emergency! _Ok….maybe it was…_"what day is it today?" She asked more than a little hysterically.

Inuyasha replied "I think it was your Thursday……"

Kagome grabbed the front of hid haori "you think? Tell me !"

Inuyasha stared "WHATS GOTTON INTO YOU? First you faint on us then-"

Miroku interrupted "we come face to face with Kagome's evil twin."

Sango recovered from her sudden shock from Inuyasha kicking her, got up and put her hand on kagome's forehead "are you sure you didn't hit your head or something?"

"You know what I probably did. Sorry Inuyasha" she apologized as she let go of his robes. "but seriously did I miss my test?"

"You are waking up after two days now, we thought you were seriously hurt, and you only care for your test!"

"What in the" miroku began. "Shippo here" kagome interjected.

Miroku quickly skipped the word he was going to say and continued.

_That smooth talking_ _monk_ Sango thought. I wonder what goes on inside his head. She resolved to ask him one day.

"Took over you?" miroku completed, looking curious.

"I...I don't know. I just felt a really sharp pain in the forehead and the next minute you guys were peering at me like I just dropped out of heaven." kagome was confused.

Inuyasha was about to apologize for letting her fall when...

Miroku took this time to see if his girl annoying skills still worked.

To guard himself from that thought he blurted "oh but my dear kagome, you did drop out of heaven! Your beauty was sent to grace the world and to give us pleasure...that's why you were sent in a mini-skirt!...which shows allot of your legs!" the monk completes enthusiastically. '_Looks like he never lost it!' _Thought miroku. He was of course oblivious to the stares.

Now at the same time several things happened. Kagome turned a very deep shade of red and muttered something about it being a uniform. Sango hit Miroku with her boomerang while kaede and shippo laughed, waiting for the monks impending doom because Inuyasha looked furious.

He had warned Miroku a long time ago never to give remark like such to kagome and the monk had behaved...at least until today.

_What was the stupid monk's problem? Couldn't he have picked a worse time to say that? right when I was about to actually swallow his pride and tell her that I am sorry...maybe I wouldn't have earned as many sits or she would actually forgive me...that would mean that she would think I had actually matured a little. Stupid monk!_

Inuyasha (surprisingly) didn't make any rash movements but rather walked up (allot like his brother) grabbed the monk by the robes, dragged him into a shoulder and began beating the crap out of him. Good riddance he thought when Miroku passed out.

Then he (smiling winningly at everyone) asked kagome to come outside. She went not knowing what he had called her for.

_Maybe if I apologize now I might still get forgiven._

When she arrived, looking a bit sheepish she called out "hey ,Inuyasha, Im sorry about before...I didn't realize what I was doing ...if this is about that ,well than I'll make it up to you."

"No. Im the one who should be apologizing. I shouldn't have let you fall. I'm sorry.

I was just so worried when you didn't wake up. I didn't realize when I was yelling."

"Of course! So this is why you look like a puppy that had lost his bone! Don't fret. I don't blame you!"

Color returned t Inuyasha's face "so you're not going to sit me?"

"No. (Laughing and pulls him into a hug) you worry me sometimes! Is it really that bad to get sat? You're pouting!"

"Try having this damn necklace around your neck!" he growled as he returned the hug.

They stood like that for a few more moments before Inuyasha asked "oh and kagome? What does lose a bone mean?"

"Just a modern day-"Inuyasha felt the time was ripe. Why should he continue hiding this from himself? He quickly brushed kagomes lips and went back to hugging her. "I..." Inuyasha began. Kagome growled.

**Growled.** Inuyasha was dumbstruck. _Shouldent I have kissed her? I only wanted her to know that I was lying all the times I said she was just my jewel detector. Oh no! What if she thinks I've gone perverted like Miroku and sits me till Im permanently invalid?_

As Inuyasha was lost in these thoughts he forgot to let her go. She pushed him back quite strongly and began vomiting at the edge of the forest.

"Kagome..." he began tensely, and put his hand on her back.

"Im sorry." And just stayed like that. This he felt could not be solved by running away as much as would like to. He was turning as red as his haori.

"You ought to be!...you...you ...gay!"

It was kagome's voice but somehow colder, more man-like. And he couldn't figure out why she would call him gay.

When she shot him an evil...I hate you glare, (after vomiting of course) her eyes looked different. Barely but they did.they looked cold. Uncompassionate.

Like his...wait a second...no nonononon that could not be possible!

Kagome lifted Inuyasha off the ground by the neck and growled. "You ...you. Do you know how much I will suffer for this? Going and doing such a cheap and petty act (Inuyasha's ears drooped; he still hadn't noticed how kagome become so powerful) to your own brother! Humph! Despicable Inuyasha! You have left a stain on me and for that you shall die!"

"Brother...Wait...are you Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha's mind was slow at picking this all up.

"What's the matter little brother, have you gone blind?"

"No you have!" replied Inuyasha, turning redder than ever before. He continued

"Look at yourself! Why are you here? WHAT have you done with kagome??"

But Sesshomaru in Kagome's body was in no position to reply.

He looked down at himself and screamed. Loud.

Especially loud for Inuyasha, because he had never been graced to hear sesshomaru scream before. He always kept his cool...that was his style. Inuyasha was dropped immediately as sesshomaru realized one very important thing.

_Im human! A female! My brothers wench no less! And I transformed into this body exactly when my brother was kissing his wench (or so he thought).AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh_

Sesshomaru couldn't control himself. But neither could inuyasha. He was getting horrible red and grabbed sikm (sikm-sesshomaru in kagome's mind) by the shoulder.

He could feel it...that inner demon wanting to go loose...he was going to lose it.pretty soon.so he'd might as well get this over with.

"Sesshomaru?" he asked tentively. He bravely continued. "Since when have you been in kagome's body? I won't ask any more question just answer this."

Please...my lucky stars! Please say that kagome was the one I kissed.

But his stars were ignoring him.

His brother replied "if you must know, (he blushed. inuyasha stared because he never ever even dreamt about seeing his brother blush) (he pulled a grimace once he realized what he was doing) right in the middle of your affair with your wrench."

His brother paled and asked softly "the kiss?-"

Sikm replied "was only to your wretch's body"

Instead of losing it, like Inuyasha thought he would, he fell into a dead faint while sikm turned a bit greener than he already was (if possible.)

000000000000000000000

Just meters away naraku's rabbit sat. It was a very ugly looking rabbit to prevent girls cooing at it but it worked. Naraku was watching the entire episode...laughing himself to hysterics.

_This should be fun!_

_I am sooooooo evil. Oh how I love to abuse these pathetic people!_

_This is better than killing them a thousand-fold. Watching them suffer! Muhhhhhaaawwa!_

_They will never guess that when I made them fall unconscious at the same time, I allowed a mind swap preparation procedure to take place...back and forth...whenever I please...to torture them the most._

_Hehehehehehehehhe...I truly pity them!_

_00000000000000000000000000_

_--_

_O.k...I admit it...I enjoy watching anime characters suffer...that's definitely not good!_

_Review...please??...and I may have a bit mercy on them in the next chapter! Muahahaha!_

_By 0mohni0_


	3. Chapter 3

Naraku's mind games

Naraku's mind games

Kagome awakens(again)

Kagome was feeling so cozy in Inuyasha's arms and just as it looked like Inuyasha was about to hug her, she felt like falling, dizzy ,off-track. When she opened her eyes her foot was kicking Jaken. _Or wait was that her foot? Who cared if it was her foot or not?_ She kicked Jaken simply because she hated him and laughed.

That got her attention, _when did she have such a cold voice...and she could hear and smell everything! Wow! This was awesome!_

Her laugh got her attention as well as the attention of Jaken,on the ground, and Rin ,picking flowers nearby. They stared at her or was she a him? She looked down...she had claws_! __**Damn awesome**__ but..but ...why was she with Rin and Jaken , had super senses, claws and was wearing two swords and armor? _Hmmm...it took her quite some time to figure it out then.

AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

_Boy did she carry on allot. She could give herself that at least...or was she a he now? __**Thats**__ it, she hit a nerve._

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! _oh breath ran out!_

_(takes in another breath)_

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Then she started crying. This was too much. And screaming for Inuyasha.

Tears-Inuyasha...crying...Inuyasha ...come save me...help me somebody...anybody!!

Then full-flow tears...at least finish hugging me Inuyasha!!

That REALLY got Jaken and Rin worried. Jaken fainted again,while Rin (ignoring her judgment that sesshomaru-sama had lost it) came over ready to comfort in any way possible.

Rin approached quietly.

She was WAY beyond freaked.

First sesshomaru-sama had started laughing, then screaming, then calling for Inuyasha (his step-brother) then CRYING and finally for Inuyasha (of all people) to come and HUG him! _Sesshomaru –sama had really lost it!_

_But Inuyasha was sesshomaru's brother not?_

Rin felt even more faint when Sesshomaru started to openly coo and bury his(or so she thought) face in his fluff.

Rin seriously thought sesshomaru-sama had lost it but she did a very brave thing .Approach a deadly MAD demon lord and jumped on his back, to pull his hair...to try to waken him. She was crying the whole time. Her tiny body held power only from her love to the deadly-unlovable demon lord.

Kagome in sesshomaru's body(kisb) snapped to attention as she realized how terrified Rin must be to attempt such a move in an attempt not to lose the only person in the whole wide world who she loved so much that she would gladly accept death if to be with him.

What a passion for her adopted father. What a strange pairing too. The girls whose smile never wavers ,even through the pain and suffering that she had gone through, was willing to risk everything for a feared deadly dog demon,who was known never to smile.But whatever everyone may say, she loved sesshomaru-sama, as a father and the only one who(although he didn't show it) cared.

Ironic is it not?

_Poor rin._ Kisb thought._ I never knew she was so attached-hell its downright affection and love for sesshomaru. I must have spooked her, bad. _And suddenly like she was in a blur where nothing mattered except the tears rolling silently down Rin's face.

Everything was in a blur...kisb no longer cared for anything but for comforting that child's tears. She kept her mouth shut and just comforted her with her actions. She would break the news to Rin and herself when they both had calmed down.

00000000000000000000000

An obnoxiously ugly bunny rabbit sitting in the high grass...watching them attentively. Behind his eyes was Naraku chuckling. "oh how touching! I certainly not bear not to torture them more. The priestess was filling up with hate AND im having fun.

THIS IS THS LIFE!

00000000000000000000000

Rin had almost calmed down. Just as her eyes had lost the glint of pain and fear, kisb lightly picked her up (she felt much stronger)and placed Rin in her lap.

Rin was curious as to why sesshomaru was showing affection so openly, but liked it immensely. Oh maybe she thought it is because Jaken is unconscious...in that case I should knock him out more.

Kisb cradled Rin in her/his arms and as a last way to calm her down and to prepare to tell her the shocking truth, kisb pressed her/his lips against Rin's forehead. Rin thought it very strange but didn't move for she was enjoying it and because she didn't want to displease (who she thought was) sesshomaru-sama.

000000000000000000000000000

Just then naraku decided to switch their minds back.

Both in unfavorable conditions

Sesshomaru will open his eyes to kiss that daughter of his (whom he never showed any affection for)

and

The priestess will open her eyes to puking for the last three hours. _straight._

_Nasty_, _thought_ said naraku.

Carry on my master plan; obnoxiously ugly bunny!

Ugly bunny showes up.

Not you ugly bunny!

I ordered for obnoxiously ugly bunny to carry out this plan.

Obnoxiously ugly bunny bowed(if bunnies can) and replied "of course my master. At you command."

0000000000000000000000000000000

_Uhhohohoho...not good...it felt like she threw up for hours...uhhhgghgghgh...my stomach hurts kagome(back in her own body) _thought.

_Wait! I'm back in my own body! Yahhhhhhhh...yippeeeeeee! i could jump for joy _she thought and was about to when she noticed Inuyasha in a dead faint in front of her. He looked half transformed, his ears changing color from the inside and beginning to show markings not unlike sesshomaru's on his face.

Her gut churned and she threw up, just out the worry. Her poor stomach couldn't handle already being in a very bad state than have anxiety put on it.

When she got that out of her system, she sat by Inuyasha silently moving him and willing him to be in hanyou form when he awoke.

_What do I do? what just happened to me? I remember comforting Rin, while I was sesshomaru...but was that just a dream or for real?_

She shook the thought out of her head as she concentrated on wiping cold water on his face in hopes of waking him up in his hanyou form. _The way she liked him._

00000000000000000000000000000000

--

Hehehehehe...another chapter completed...this one was more emotional than the other two.hopefully i'll have some light heartedness coming soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Sesshomaru opened his eyes to feel like himself again,with jaken lying unconcious a few feet away and rin in his lap with his lips pressed on her forehead

**Naraku's mind games**

**On his honor**

Sesshomaru opened his eyes to feel like himself again, with jaken lying unconscious a few feet away and Rin in his lap with his lips pressed on her forehead. He was startled and started to look away. _Damn it he thought, why is today my unlucky day? I have had way too many adventures today_. Right now all he wanted to do was to rest then go after Inuyasha to figure out how today's activities occurred.

So it was a bit of a shock to see that he was giving such an open display of affection to her. Rin, sensing that something had changed, backed away while still in his lap and asked

"Sesshomaru –sama is alright? Sesshomaru –sama had started laughing, screaming, crying, calling out for Sesshomaru –Sama's brother to come save him and hug him."

"I did what?" Asked sesshomaru, dumbstruck,_ calling for Inuyasha to...what!!...oh why does that happens today turn to Inuyasha??_, not even bothering to disguise his voice. He didn't care that he had shown Rin affection_, it was kind of nice to let her know he didn't mind her ,in fact rather liked her._

_Oh no! What am I thinking?_

_Im turning soft! ' No, you're turning less heartless. Why do you make yourself so cold sesshomaru?' Asked his conscious. You know you love her, as a daughter and the only family you have, except for that dim-wit gay brother of yours._

_No Inuyasha isn't like that...he thought...that I was his wench...normally if I came across them doing such a thing,. I would have enjoyed myself immensely, slowly torturing my brother until he died of embarrassment...but the first hand...he felt like puking again._

_No no nonoonononono.dont go throwing up again! Right now, Rin is scared, I have to comfort her..._he could smell the stale fear emanating out of her body.

He felt embarrassed, she was afraid for...him...such a strange thought...

Rin continued her whispers in his ears while his eyes widened at places. "Rin jumped on Sesshomaru –Sama's back and held on to Sesshomaru –Sama's hair and the Sesshomaru –Sama calmed down and sat with me and plaited my hair silently."

Sesshomaru was horrified at first when she showed off her plaited hair because of his ruined reputation in front of Rin, but in the end decided that when kagome took over his life for a few hours had probably done more than he could have done in a lifetime.

He could see that Rin was a lot closer to him than him; she brushed his hair (to his delight), slept on his fluff and was even civil to jaken(even while unconscious). She adorned him with flowers when he was asleep(even though he knew exactly what she was doing, he let her for the smiles) ,insisted on polishing his amour until it gleamed, and rode on sesshomaru instead of ah-uh when she was tired(all this in one day!)._Now, as much as I would hate it, I have to admit two things_

_1. He liked Rin more then ever-before_

_2. Tying back your hair really does make you feel less hot_

_(Rin made him figure that one out.)_

The entire incident pointed in the direction of the bone-eaters well and Inuyasha and his friends_. He would have to visit them tomorrow. On his honor, he would figure out what happened._

0000000000000000000

Short chapter, but very important!

Review please!


	5. Chapter 5

Naraku's mind games

**Naraku's mind games**

**Blush**

The hanyou finally woke up to kagome sponging his forehead. She couldn't take him back to kaede nor could she leave him alone, even only for a few minutes.

His golden eyes began to open, it didn't look as if he were hurt, just confused to the point to getting knocked out.

Kagome really didn't know what was going on either, her mind yearned for answers but her heart refused to leave Inuyasha by himself to investigate. In fact just as she was relieved (because Inuyasha woke up); the thought just crossed her mind.

_Im sure it wasn't a dream at all...in fact... it was very real.wait...a minute...if she swapped bodies with sesshomaru, then maybe he had come here...oh no! Dammit...shit!!...dammit!!...I forgot to have fun with his hair while I was there!...I managed to touch his boa thingy (sigh) it was soooo soft...its a wonder that he doesn't keep touching it all the time...but his silvery white hair...dammit! How could you forget?? Stupid!_

She had such an angry expression on her face that Inuyasha getting up took one look at her face and cringed.

As she still had one hand on his arm, she felt his muscles tightning and looked at him.

He was really scared. What in the world must sesshomaru done to him when she was in his body?

_I'm sure that sesshomaru came here..._she thought _...positive._

Her thoughts were interrupted by Inuyasha. He began slowly "are you ok? Kagome, are you alright...and as he remembered previous events...he paled and proceeded to ask...is that really you kagome?"

"Yes. It's me now...although I have no idea how that happened." she replied slowly.

Inuyasha allowed some color to return and pulled her into a hug. "Well the important thing is that you're back."

_He wasn't going to tell her what had happened until absolutely necessary._

"I was really afraid..."his voice faded and cracked until he decided not to say anything.

00000000000000000000000

At the edge of the forest sesshomaru appeared, with Rin pouting and the imp still unconscious. They had decided not to wake jaken up, because sesshomaru didn't want him to know about this whole ordeal. Rin didn't know yet either...but jaken was much more suspicious then Rin was, instead, she trusted whatever he told her.

Rin was still not in her usual happy mood because sesshomaru had made her get off before the neared his brother.

_There was no way he was going to let Inuyasha of all people see how Rin had him wrapped around her little finger. he used to deny it to himself, but now he accepted it...Rin did have a lot of control over him, the great demon tai-youkai of the west was occupied in filling up a human child's desires...oh yes they must not know._

_NO one should know. That came right next to the secret of what he used to clean his boa thing._

_He shuddered (inwardly) at the thought. No one on his world knew...only his mother who had shown him how to clean it. Neither would they. Rin would not need to know that, she had no use for it. _

Rin was walking behind him_...why did sesshomaru-sama make her get off?_

_She liked it...and could hear him purring too. strange thing...sesshomaru-sama purred...but I thought that he was a dog demon...oh well...better than wagging his tail at any rate any rat and wiping out whatever was in a hundred feet of it._

_She liked him purring...she liked it much better then him talking._

_Jaken was still unconscious...so why...?_

As these thoughts were going through her mind, she emitted a high pitched scream.

They had emerged out of the forest, and sesshomaru-sama's brother and kagome were hugging.

She thought it was really cut but apperently her lord did not. He took one look at them, turned as red as his marking and fell.

_Oh no, what has happened? She was only beginning to enjoy the weather when...o thanks goodness; kagome and Inuyasha have noticed and are coming here. They can do something to help sesshomaru-sama...but she never noticed him asking for help before...Nah... He wouldn't mind... he was unconscious for heaven's sake._

She sat by him and tried to wake his up. His face looked... Like really red around the nose. _I wonder why..._she thought._ohh...I do hope he is alright!_

000000000000000000000000000000

Naraku was annoyed "Obnoxiously Ugly Bunny I did not order you fro the swap to take place again."

_Maybe employing these bunnies were not such a good idea after all..._

Obnoxiously ugly bunny replied "master, I did not have anything to do with this. It seems like the guy with the tail fainted by himself!"

Naraku grinned "aaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww...fluffly fainted? That is soooooooo cute...I bet he was remembering a time not so long ago when he was in the very same position...the pitiful soul!" another evil grin appeared on his face.

He looked at a white stone by where he lay.

He brought it close and as soon as he touched it with his hand, it began showing fields and Inuyasha and kagome leaning over sesshomaru.

He willed the ugly bunny to go closer with his mind, thinking of the instructions as he touched the stone.

The message got through and the ugly bunny went and sat a mere three feet from where sesshomaru lay and peered at his face.

After that Naraku laughed until he was blue in the face.

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...the great demon lord is BLUSHING!!"(that too while unconscious!)

000000000000000000000000000000

Ok...that was quite cruel of Naraku...but it's good. I hope I've done a good job at representing rin's feelings.

REVIEW! Please...


	6. Chapter 6

Naraku's mindgames Naraku's mind games Back in kaede's hut

"Oh dear" kaede muttered, silently wondering why she came across unconscious people on a daily basis.

_This just isn't fair!_

_First they don't respect her, use her hut, eat her food, expect her to be nice AND bring in unconscious people all the time._

_Damn. One of these days..._she seethed, giving a hateful glare at the unconscious person.

A little gasp escaped her when she caught a peek of his face.

_Omg...was that a dog-demon? Crap._

_And now they thought she was a charity worker. They make me so mad..._.kaede clutched her hands in a tight little ball.

"Get here kaede you old hag!" she heard Inuyasha shout.

Kaede was in the back fields. She could see what was happening perfectly, but decided to let them miss her a bit. She hid behind a random tree as Inuyasha came hunting for her.

_Uhoh...too late._

Inuyasha rounded the corner of the tree and grabbed her unsuspecting shoulder. He carried her back into the hut, grinning that he had been able to find her.

He set her down and after motioning towards his brother looked away pointedly.

_I can't believe im doing this...saving my brother! Hehehe...just wait till he wakes up...he'll never have another peaceful moment. Inuyasha chuckled inwardly. My high-and mighty brother has been brought down from the clouds! I'm so...embarrassed! ...wait, where did that come from?_

_His conscious reminded him "hmmm ..lets see...seeing the person who saw you go in a dead faint...(not to mention why you went in a faint) isn't exactly the best thing your pride would hope for."_

Inuyasha looked crestfallen.

Kagome peered at Inuyasha's face and noticed the look_. I wonder what he has been thinking...I'll have to ask him one day.._..she thought, before turning back to sesshomaru.

_Wait, I didn't get to OMG! _Kagome almost shouted when she realized it.

She ran her fingers through sesshomaru's hair...much to her delight, and stayed there in rapture till she (unwillingly) got a whole lot of stares. She didn't notice them but continued to think along the lines of_...oooohhh...so silky...I wonder what shampoo he uses?oh yeah they don't have shampoo in this era...he must do something...I'll have to ask him. One day._

Then several things happened at once. Inuyasha started growling_. Why doesn't she ever play with my hair? This isn't fair! Sesshomaru gets everything!_ He started pouting at her and growling louder, clearly jealous. Miroku got a VERY evil grin on his face and was thinking of the next dirty joke to play on kagome when sango hit him .kaede, and shippo just stared. Rin giggled. Sesshomaru sprung up, baring his claws, scaring the crap out of kagome who had hidden in Inuyasha's arms(making him feel even worse...he was thinking_...right ...so NOW...you come to me!_) looking for who had dared touch his hair(that didn't feel like Rin's hands). Everyone cringed as he excused himself (who knew that he was polite!) from the hut and went outside alone to breathe properly.

After sesshomaru left, kagome became the object of stares. She smiled sheepishly.

0000000000000000000000000

Sesshomaru took deep breaths outside. The smell of food cooking and grass traveled up his nose. He looked around, trying his hardest to keep his mind of why he fainted. True, he did have great self control over his mind, but not this much that an event with such importance could be ignored.

As he scanned the fields, he noted a VERY ugly bunny sitting in the fields.

_Uhhhgg..._he thought_... that is one ugly bunny. I'm glad that I am descended from one of the best-looking bloodlines of demons. Just look at how I could have ended up! Say...that is one outrageously ,extremely, obnoxiously, ugly rabbit. He might as well put it out of his misery and eat it...he was rather hungry...besides maybe it would distract the inhabitants of the hut he emerged from, so that he wouldn't have to answer awkward questions. Huh...maybe...maybe...his life used to be so definite...but ever since he had started being civil to his brother...it all changed...it's probably a ...a...a. curse!_

_Anyhow, the bunny will become his next meal._

000000000000000000000000000

_Oooohhhh...so sleepy...killer hangover...shouldn't have drank sake at festival...dammit! I think I'll just go to sleep now...ugly bunny can handle himself for a few hours..._with that thought Naraku fell asleep, just as sesshomaru was getting out of the state of unconsciousness.

000000000000000000000000000

Sesshomaru was pleased when the bunny cringed as he pounced on top of it. _At least someone still thinks i'm scary...hmm..mabey i should putting on double coats of make up...or get a better eyeliner that __**dosent **__come off to darken my demon markings...this wont hurt a bit little bunny._

His eyes widened as he saw that the rabbit's blood was a dark purple color, not unlike miroku's robe.

This would certainly prove as a distraction...his eyes widened when he realized what it was. _A bound minion, but...wasn't that ritual extinct now? It seemed not. He had to inform Inuyasha immediately...he wasn't sure why._ But he had a feeling that if someone was watching them, he must be the same person who was playing mind games with them.

_Aarrrgg...he was going to make that person pay for the crimes (he shuddered at the thought) committed against him._

He walked back in the hut with his nose wrinkled up in disgust. Must...not...get..blood..on hands!

He looked so comical that kagome laughed under her breath. Sesshomaru gave her a look before passing her as insane and as if to answer the question on Inuyasha's mind even before he blurted it out, said "it's a bound minion. I found him in the fields...and I assume that he had been up to no good."

Everyone but Inuyasha stared. They weren't used to sesshomaru saying so many words at once.

Clearly irritated he sniffled and said "what? Is it improper for me to start a conversation?"

Inuyasha replied "oh no big brother. Just that we aren't used to hearing you say so less...usually you are **very **talkative and gossipy." He put an emphasis on that and Sesshomaru scowled.

"I merely wanted to-"

Miroku cut in. "what? A bound minion? But you can't find them anymore!"

Kagome asked "what are those?'

Sesshomaru answered Miroku coldly. "Apperently, I was also...mist...mistk..."he stumbled over the word.

Inuyasha stared and then burst into laughter. "Talk about stuck up! He can't say that he was wrong!"

"Like you can, inuysha!" kagome replied heatedly. _Here they were discussing something that seemed quite important and all Inuyasha could think have been how to degrade(giving the impression that he was modest, along with it) his brother. Sometimes he was just sooooo immature..._

Time passed...

Kagome said "so what your saying is by performing a particular ritual, a master and a slave are bound? And the master controls the slave almost like a puppet?

Sesshomaru and mioga replied in union. "Yes."

Mioga had joined them half way through their discussion and with his help, sesshomaru's knowledge and evidence; they had managed to work out that someone was watching them.

_What a strange thought._

Sesshomaru continued "for some reason I feel that this bunny rabbit was connected--"

He was interrupted by Inuyasha's, a very brave monk's, a demon slayer's, a kitsune's and a miko's peals of laughter. "Bunny...rabbit..." gasped Inuyasha_...this was priceless!_ "Who knew that sesshomaru had such cute thoughts? Haha! Aaaawwwwwww...I think Rin rubbed off on you too much!" inuyasha continued to laugh while sesshomaru had become dead. Drop dead scary that is.

_Things changed so quickly...a few hours ago... I would never have dreamed of laughing at him, much less to his face...now...he seemed so different from what he appeared to be...I mean he had a sense of humor! Who would have thought that he would be the only one who would smile (barely noticeable) at miroku's joke about Kagome running off with kouga if Inuyasha didn't start acting nice to her? Actually I think he didn't smile at the joke itself (he didnt even know who Kouga was!) but rather the fact that Inuyasha's face had turned three shades lighter. _Sango was completely lost in her thoughts about the demon lord.

_He isn't that bad _thought kagome_...just a bit deadly...when he felt like it...oh and she still had to ask what sesshomaru had done in her body...she would do it...One Day..._she thought as she tried to fall asleep.

_Tomorrow they still had to formulate a plan_ (sesshomaru had admitted that he wanted to kill the person who was behind this and had agreed to join them 'If I must get revenge') _but she was going to have some fun with sango at the expense of the guys...it will be a much needed tension calmer for tomorrow. Tomorrow is the One Day of all my questions I need to be answered._

0000000000000000000000000

Not happy with this chapter...it just didn't seem to flow!

Oh well

You can criticize me by reviewing.


	7. Chapter 7

Today is the one day Naraku's mind games Today is the one day

Kagome fell asleep with the determination to finish all the things she had put off for 'one day'. With sango, she had made a plan to make the guys tell her what they wanted to know. A simple Truth and Dare game(without the dares!)._Easy enough to get them into._

So, after noon, they all were sitting under a tree waiting to find out why kagome invited everyone here. Even sesshomaru had bothered to show up.

She met them with sango by her side and a winning smile. "Ok, before we start this session of who knows what, you all have to promise that

1. you will not get mad

2. you will not try to kill anyone

3. you will play honestly

On your honor.

OK? Those aren't so hard!"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow "We assembled here to play a game?"

Kagome replied sweetly "Essentially, yes, but it is a grown-up game."

"Grown-up's don't play games." Was his bored reply.

"Just take the oath will you?" Kagome asked and looked so fierce that everybody agreed readily.

"Ok then,...we're going to spin this little arrow shaped rock and since we're all sitting in a circle ,it will land on one of us. Then that person has to answer questions from each of us."

Sesshomaru was amused. _Trust his brother's crazy miko to come up with such a stupid game...yet ...he couldn't wait until it was his brothers turn...he was gonna get it good! heheh!_

"ok let's get started!"

She spinned the fateful rock.

The first time it landed on Miroku who was grinning like an idiot.

"ok... I'll ask first" said kagome "what do you think of all the times when your just sitting there quietly?"

Miroku grinned and replied "if i told you

1. you'll be glad you didn't invite the kids and

2. sango will kill me so...you get my meaning."

Sango hit him with her elbow.

She looked disgusted, and muttered "Pervert" under her breath.

Inuyasha took the next turn. "ok...so ...do you wish to die or what, when you bug Sango...you know she knocks you out...so why?" he looked at Miroku with confused eyes.

Miroku answered "The reward is far greater then the punishment, Inuyasha! I thought you would have figured that out by now!"

_If I hadn't taken the stupid oath...that stupid monk would have been unconscious right now!_ thought Sango. She gritted her teeth as a way to control her anger as sesshomaru asked his question

"Same question as Inuyasha really...why do you insist that you be invalid half of your life?"

The monk replied off-handedly "same question, same answer."

It was Sango's turn.

Miroku gulped.

"Do you happen to know that you will not be able to get up for a week as soon as this oath expires?"

Miroku turned yellow... "n..no"

Sango in a know-it-all way "Well you are. Prepare yourself."

Kagome smiled cheerfully. "That was quite enjoyable...lets do it again!" She spun the rock.

It landed on sango.

Kagome took off. "How would you prefer to die?"

Sango looked up without hesitation and with determination in her eyes, replied "Avenging my family and villagers!"

Sesshomaru commented "figures...stupid human feelings...hhmph...why can't you kill Naraku...without hoping to die yourself?"

Inuyasha ignored sesshomaru and asked, "ok...so what is it with you and the monk? I mean...if he annoys you so much then why don't you just kill him and be over with it?"

Sango looked thoughtful. "you know..." she began slowly "I don't ever think I thought of that before!" she looked enlightened. "Thanks Inuyasha...I'll do it one day when we finish off Naraku...so he'll have time to finish his dream in life.."

"Apparently not his only one!" Kagome snickered.

"... and then he really annoys me!" Sango finished.

Miroku looked at her happily "That means I'm free until then!"

Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes.

Sesshomaru asked "Why don't you finish off your brother? He's tried to kill you, has killed your family and is your enemy so why do you hold back?"

Sango answered, her voice laced with venom. "kohaku is my family and he wasn't aware of what he was doing at the time...I cant just sentence him to death!"

"Just as I thought. More petty human emotions." Sesshomaru muttered under his breath, momentarily forgetting that he was sitting in everyone's earshot. Needless to say, he got a whole lot of angry stares.

It was miroku's turn. He was about to ask the trademark question. "Sango my dear...will you-"

Sango gave him an 'I hope you die now!' glare and shouted "NO!"

Kagome spun the arrow head again. _This wasn't turning out as fun as she imagined._

It landed on Sesshomaru. He raised an eyebrow. Nothing unusual about that.

Sango took off immediately "What is that fluffy boa thing?"

Sesshomaru replied, bored "My tail. Have you got that out of your system now?...next!"

A more than slightly suicidal monk asked "Is Rin you're mat-?"

Luckily for the monk though, his suicide plan failed and Sesshomaru simply growled and interrupted with a quick "daughter"

Inuyasha asked his question slyly, his eyes showing clear signs of trying to control laughter. "Who calls you by the name Fluffy?"

Everyone else started to choke and gag. Sesshomaru was startled at first but narrowed his eyes and replied angrily "No one but my dear about-to-be-dead hanyou brother!"

When the laughter had subsided a bit kagome asked meekly.

"Ummm...what do you do to your hair to make it so silky?"

Everyone looked at her as if she were mad_...which if she thought about what she just did...she probably was. Right , so go and after trapping a deadly demon lord in an oath on his honor, ask him a beauty question._

_Slightly weird, __and__ suicidal, considering that he could kill her with a flick of his hand._

Sango openly gaped at her friend. "Who know that kagome had the guts to go ask such a stupid question.

_No way would he tell everyone that!...okay so the consequences of annoying his brother were not as little as he thought._

_But he had taken an oath on his honor...not to disrespected...fine if the wench wanted to know ...she would find out...fine with him...hehehe...this might be a shock._

He answered a little too eagerly "I soak it in blood once in a week." And enjoyed the extremely scared faces in front of him.

_Their mouths were open, without a bit of self –control...pathetic humans!_ He decided to continue freaking them out like that and smirked.

"What?" He asked, coating his smug filled voice with innocence. "I am a demon after all."

They gaped at him even harder.

_Even his brother was stupid enough to believe him...stupid Inuyasha... he knew him for his entire life and still he thought...hehehehe...pathetic!_

"Astonished? Don't worry, Inuyasha...hanyou blood stains my hair...human works best!" he replied, his eyes lighting up. He looked entirely too enthusiastic.

_No wait a minute...his brother looked too happy while saying that...he was smirking That bastard! Liar!_

Sesshomaru noticed that Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango were beginning to recover from shock, while kagome was stuck in place.

Slowly, her eyes started to cloud with hate and she reached out to touch the demon lord's hand. He didn't cringe until she purified him so hard that he felt a violent shock.

That purifying power would have killed a low level demon.

"What are you...wench!" _He didn't know she was so powerful._

Kagome yelled back "Serves you right for killing humans mere-"

She stopped. Sesshomaru was a sight to behold. He was smiling. A good, humored, natural smile. Not so good for their lives.

"Wench ,you believed me?...you are more gullible then I thought. No I am not blood thirsty and he grabbed her hand and easily pulled her ear close to his mouth. "I use a herb used to reduce swelling mixed with lemon if you must know."

He didn't know why he was telling her that...perhaps he felt sorry for how much fear was emanating out of her body...heh...pathetic humans.

He didn't bother to wait but rather pushed her back and after spinning the rock, said in a bored voice, "Hey, you wench...ask a question from my dear brother."

Kagome had recovered but was still outraged.

"So tell me Inuyasha," she began, with a sarcasm dipped innocence "how do you manage not to kill your brother?"

Inuyasha grinned. _Oh, she was annoyed now! "_I don't."

Kagome looked taken aback as though she didn't expect an answer. "oh... I thought so...yeah..."

Before kagome could say something else really stupid, Sango cut in.

"So Inuyasha, what do you plan to do when you complete the shikon jewel?"

Inuyasha looked around confidently, "im gonna use it to become a full demon and then rule the world! muwahahah!"

Sesshomaru looked amused.

Kagome looked hurt but Inuyasha didn't notice.

Miroku looked at Inuyasha with exasperation.

Sango raised an eyebrow and gave him an 'I wish you'd grow up' look.

"Oh really dear brother? YOU want to rule the world? Hhhmmmm...That would be quite interesting...such high thoughts..."

"Any way...Inuyasha ...moving on...mind telling us what exactly you were doing when the miko and I changed bodies?"

Sesshomaru could barely hide his amusement now. _hehehe...this was going to be priceless...after all...he wasn't the one Inuyasha was kissing...it was kagome!_

Kagome gagged, _I had wanted to know this but didn't want to offend Sesshomaru. Oh well, looked like he was insisting that everyone knew_. Inuyasha turned four shades lighter while Sesshomaru looked more amused then ever and Sango stared.

Inuyasha made a face and turned away. _There was no way he was going to answer that!_

_Especially not in everyone's presence!_

_Stupid Sesshomaru...he was gonna get it!_

_Goddamn that stupid oath!_

_Sesshomaru continued with an air of authority "You know Inuyasha, you took an oath on your honor...you don't have to answer...but you'll have none anyway...so your choice basically..." he grinned._

_Everyone stared._

_Sesshomaru grinned._

_Wow._

_He was enjoying this more then he thought._

_What was the world coming to?_

_0000000000000000000000000_

_Sesshomaru grinning._

_Wow._

_R&R plz._

_It has been too long!_

_Not one single review goddamn it!_

_sniffes_

_Plz review?_


	8. Chapter 8

Naraku's mind games Naraku's mind games

Today is the One Day Pt.2

_Continuing..._

_--_

_**Inuyasha:**_

_Oh stupid sesshomaru...how I hate you... I'm stuck good._

_On one hand...I refuse to tell...lose my honor and have Kagome sit me, then after being forced, I tell them, _

_Or on the other hand... I tell...have like one percent of honor...but embarrass myself in the prospect. And give that stupid monk another chance to annoy the crap out of me. And possibly risk Kagome getting mad at me and calling me a pervert!_

_Oh shit. shit shit shit shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit!  
He felt like crying with frustration..._

_Or there is one other prospect...I get up and try to kill my brother...get sat at least ten times...in front of my smirking brother! And then break an oath on my honor and then have to eventually tell them...aw...that was no good._

_DAMN. I HATE YOU SESSHOMARU!_

_He gave a death glare to Sesshomaru who smirked even harder._

Kagome was curious by this time.

_What exactly did Inuyasha do that was causing to turn so pale?_

Inuyasha caught her eye and gulped.

Sesshomaru looked even smugger.

He should have been. He was enjoying life.

By this time everyone was dead curious.

_What was going on between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru?_

They both just stared at each other. Inuyasha was looking at his brother with hate while Sesshomaru just looked evil.

_What the..?_

Then Inuyasha looked at everyone. _They were expecting an answer._

_Not good._

_Oh well...this seemed like the best answer...if there was one._

As Inuyasha started, Sesshomaru looked even more (if possible) self-satisfied.

Inuyasha ignored his face and started slowly

"ummm...i was apologizing to kagome...for letting her fall..."

Sango interrupted "really? Wow! I didn't know you knew how to say sorry!"

Sesshomaru had started to show a slight grin.

Inuyasha replied heatedly "well, when I know its my fault...then I do!"

Miroku corrected him "actually Inuyasha...there have been many times where it has been your fault yet you-"

He was interrupted by Sesshomaru.

The sight of him would haunt them for years to come.

**He had an ear to ear grin.**

_Freakish!_

Not letting anyone have time to stare...he gave instructions to Inuyasha.

"Little brother...continue. I must admit that I'm quite curious."

_That jerk._ Inuyasha glared, but continued.

"um...then she forgave me...and ...um...I asked her if she would sit me...she said no.." Inuyasha was stalling on purpose, trying to make it seem like he had a hard time remembering but it showed clearly.

He finished quickly then "then I hugged her for forgiving me and found out it wassesshaomruandthen I fainted." He looked relieved for a second before he caught his brother's eye.

Then he shuddered. Visibly.

Kagome leaned over and put her hand on his forehead. "Are you ok?"

She asked, clearly concerned.

"yeah...ummm just...a little cold..."

Sango and Miroku stared.. "But Inuyasha you have sweat running down your face!" Sango began to protest.

"You know what? Forget I even said anything." Was Inuyasha's reply.

Sesshomaru looked a Inuyasha frigidly and said

"I thought you cared for your pride Inuyasha...I know you're lying...so I am going to give you one more chance before you lose all respect."

Inuyasha gulped but began to stutter immediately "ok so... after I fainted...Kagome woke me up...omph!"

Sesshomaru had the wicked sneer on his face again and had just kicked him.

"ok...fine!...ikissedsesshomruand fainted when I found out it was him while he puked." Inuyasha looked triumphant.

_The tables have turned_ _dear big brother._

Miroku looked green. "You did what?...sick...sesshomaru...he's your brother! and you Inuy-"

He was stopped by sesshomaru by having a clawed hand on his neck.

"Say more and die." Sesshomaru threatened.

He let go (much to miroku's relief) and continued. "I will tell you the entire story since it is clear that my half brother does not care for his pride.

After hugging his wench..." Sesshomaru waved a clawed hand towards kagome casually while Inuyasha was clearly to hide his face in his hands. "The body switch took place at the most un-appropriate moment it seems and when I was forced into the miko's body, ...Inuyasha will you continue please?"

He asked his brother with fake innocence.

"Bastard! Ok..FINE so I thought I kissedkagomebutitwasactually Sesshomaru. THEN I fainted!"

He glared at his brother, turning slightly red himself. "Happy?"

Sesshomaru smirked. "Immensely."

Everyone else's jaws were wide open. _The day just couldn't get more surprising, could it? So, Inuyasha kissed kagome, or tried to anyway. How cute!_

Then suddenly, Inuyasha and Kagome got up together. They turned opposite ways and walked off.

Sango thought_. Hmmmm...they don't look angry...just confused and thoughtful...they probably just need time to think...poor kagome!_

With this notion she joined Miroku who was already looking at Sesshomaru with disgust and hate.

Miroku said blandly. "You know that was brillia-"

Sango hit him on the top of his head. _Great. Now even Miroku was enjoying it!_

She cut him off and said "Enjoying yourself?", her voice dripping with scorn.

A still smirking Sesshomaru replied "If I may admit, rather a lot."

The trio sat there under the cherry blossom tree in full bloom with pink petals, being showered on them, giving each other hate glares...Sesshomaru taking them both head on.

Between the 'im just doing this so Sango wont beat the crap out of me' stare of Miroku and the

'you deserve die for torturing Kagome and Inuyasha, damn you' glare from Sango, they were quite a challenge. One that he would accept.

So, he sat there and stared for all he was worth.

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Ok...so that was fun...kinda...next chapter will have sesshy and kagome's petty revenge along with naraku's hangover and sesshy getting a rosary


	9. Chapter 9

Confessions

Naraku's mind games

Confessions.

_Oh my god!_

After Kagome had walked off from the game they were playing and into Kaede's hut, her mind had continually been on what she had discovered.

_Inuyasha had tried to kiss her. Wow. Damn the person who had to switch them then!_

_I am not complaining...but I just wish that Inuyasha had told her before Sesshomaru had gotten involved._

_That creep Sesshomaru!_

_Why the hell did he have to go and interfere? Inuyasha would have told her anyway, she was sure of it._

_Ooohhhhhhh...she was going to get back at Sesshomaru now._

_For scaring the crap out of her with his little hair joke AND embarrassing her and Inuyasha._

_Poor guy he must be a nervous wreck...he wasn't the smoothest when it came to stuff like this._

The memory of that night at the temple, when she found out about when he turned human, came back to her, all white and foggy, bit by bit.

She chuckled at how freaked out she was when Inuyasha had told her she smelled nice.

Lost in her own thoughts, she forgave Inuyasha for not having the guts to tell her.

But as she forgave Inuyasha in her mind, she loathed Sesshomaru even more.

_That's it!_

_Im gonna get back at that despicable, malicious, wretched, creep if it's the last thing I do!_

0000000000000000000000

Naraku groaned.

"ugh...stupid festival!"

Ugly bunny perked up immediately.

"Master!

Are you awake now?

I have very urgent news to tell you but i was afraid of waking you up because then you would gat mad at me and th-...omph!"

Naraku had just kicked the bunny and now glared out of his sleepy eyes.

_Why ?_

_What did I ever do to deserve this?_

_Ok...stupid question...but I think that bonding theses bunnies to be my slaves wasn't such a good idea._

Naraku pulled his leg away. _They aren't even good to cuddle!_

"Cant you let me at least wake up in peace, since it is clear that you are not intent on letting me sleep?"

He sat up.

The bunny bowed and replied "Oh no master Naraku!...I wasn't aware that I was bothering you!...please forgive me...but I did have a good reason!...I would have told you before but you were sleeping...and before that you were at that festival where you consumed too much sake, and before that you were washing your hair...and before that..."

Naraku groaned and shook a fist at the roof of the hut.

_Why must you torture me so?_

_What did I ever do to anybody?...um...sorry...heh...stupid question again._

But he took one look at the over-talkative rabbit-turned-servant and mentally kicked himself.

_Honestly, what possessed me to employ these guys?_

_Ok...i get your meaning...I'm not honest!_

He shook another fist at the roof of the hut. _Always picking at everything I say aren't you?_

He clenched his teeth_. I hate you!_

0000000000000000000000000000000000000

Inuyasha was feeling horrible. He was so unsure of what would happen next that he didn't even notice kagome approaching.

Therefore it came as a surprise that the very person he was dreaded to meet was standing right under him.

He took a peek at her. She didn't look mad...just evil. And that grin...he shuddered.

She was seriously freaking him out. Very seriously.

"Inuyasha, will you come down for a moment?" Kagome called out in an-overly sweet voice that had Inuyasha's every nerve scared stiff.

_What am I doing?_ He thought to himself.

_Im scared of kagome!...come on Inuyasha...be a man!_

Unluckily for him, that thought didn't help him very much as he trembled, thinking of how scary women could get if invoked. In spite of this, he managed to control his emotions a bit and jumped down from the tree he had previously been on, and landed by Kagome.

She looked at him and immediately started talking. "You know your brothers a jerk? Well have to get revenge.

You know why. I don't want to repeat it. That jerk!

He scared the crap out of me with his little hair joke. I seriously thought that he would do that...so...-" Inuyasha stared and stammered "...What?...Your not mad about me trying to kiss you?...and Sesshomaru being a dumbass about that?" _I never dreamed that kagome would simply FORGET!_

Kagome chuckled slightly and replied.

"No." She leaned over, stroking his head and sensing the mood ease, went back to how she was planning to get back at Sesshomaru.

Dusk found them laughing their heads off at Inuyasha's plan to get back at his brother by braiding his hair while he was asleep, with cherry blossoms in it.

Inuyasha gave a side glance at kagome, who still hadn't been able to recover from his idea and was currently rolling on the ground clutching her stomach with laughter.

She didn't seem angry...things were back to as accustomed to for now, but he had to tell her how he felt again.

He would have to, or drive himself insane from the thoughts that little voice in his head made him think. Sometimes he just felt like tearing his own head off if it meant getting rid of those thoughts.

But for now, he was happy, just to sit with Kagome like this and be able to plot against his brother.

As he was thinking, Kagome was already on way nine of how to annoy the crap out of Sesshomaru.

She suggested painting his nails pink, golden and purple with the nail polish she had.

Inuyasha wanted parrot green and pink.

Kagome got mad because Inuyasha wasn't listening to her.

Inuyasha didn't see it coming.

Kagome decided to win the argument there and then and sat him.

Inuyasha silently thought. _Yup, things are back to normal again._

0000000000000000000000000000

Naraku was bored.

Immensely bored. All of a sudden, his face lit up as he realized what he could do to kill time.

With an evil grin on his face, Naraku touched the white stone and willed ugly bunny(obnoxiously ugly bunny's replacement) to carry out another round of torture.

Heeeheeehheee he giggled. A thought had struck him very odd.

_You_ _know, I do believe that I am more evil then I thought._

0000000000000000000000000000

Inuyasha was with Sesshomaru, holding the monk down in case he got any ideas about going after the girls, who had wandered off to take a bath.

They had finally planned to leave tomorrow for an advisor of Sesshomaru's who was also skilled in the dark arts.

They hoped that he would be able to make head or tails about the body switch.

Kaede was with Rin, helping villagers, and Shippo outside, annoying Jaken to his full capability. It was a very calm night, and each one of the three men sitting inside the hut were discussing details about the journey that lay ahead.

Of course that was before Naraku had to come and ruin it all.

Ugly bunny looked at Sesshomaru, chanted a verse, then went off to do the same to Kagome who was in the hot springs with Sango.

Then he stood in the exact middle spot between their distances, with one hand pointing towards Kagome and the other (sorry, paw) in the direction of Sesshomaru.

He muttered something very quickly and had started grinning, fully showing his teeth, for the swap had taken place. This time he would let them stay like this for some while.

Both Sesshomaru and Kagome had felt lightheadedness and a falling sensation, before their minds plummeting into complete darkness.

0000000000000000000000

Heh..next chapter will be very fun.

But for now...R&R PEOPLE!

Plz!


	10. Chapter 10

Naraku's mind games Naraku's mind gamesKouga appears

Kagome was trying to concentrate, yet it was not working.

Kaede and she sat side by side, kagome having one of her training lessons. This was no turning out so good, today everything got her attention but her training, and her miko powers seemed dormant.

Kaede was getting annoyed now too. "Concentrate child! What's on your mind?"

"Im trying!" kagome said through gritted teeth.

_I think I need a break, even though I didn't do anything all day! Hm...If only...there were to be a distraction of some sort...come on someone. Where is Inuyasha's stupid attitude when I need it?_

She eyed him suspiciously out of the corner of her eye_. He had been acting reasonably mature since morning. Damn! Why does everything happen at the wrong time?' _she furrowed her eyes in disgust and concentrated at the mountains they could see at a distance.

She caught something that she thought would be more then a distraction. Her eyes narrowed at the approaching tornado out of the mountains. _Hmm...that looked suspiciously like_...she gasped but covered it up as a cough. Keade looked at her peculiarly, but didn't say anything.

_Hurry up kouga! _She thought. _I need you! For once you're actually going to be put to good use!_

Inuyasha had also sensed Kouga's approaching, and had taken a stand in front of her, tetseaiga drawn, thankfully hiding her relieved smile from Kaede.

The tornado came closer and spun right around Inuyasha and next thing she new was that she had a hand around her shoulder smiling and saying, "hello kagome! Missed me kagome? How I have pined for you! Has dog turd been treating you well? Guess what? I am staying a week with you 'cause I missed you so much..."

He was interrupted by Inuyasha who yelled "Get your hands off her wolf breath!"

Kouga tightened his grip and stuck out his tongue "make me mutt face!"

"You asked for it!" Inuyasha charged, tetsuiga wielded.

Kagome sighed. How immature could they both get?! There goes Inuyasha's mature ness streak down the drain.

"Sit boy!"

As Inuyasha fell to the ground, kouga danced around her singing "she's mine! She's mine!"

Kagome pushed the lovesick wolf away and sighed again.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Short chapter, just to make the plot work...

R&R plz!


	11. Chapter 11

Kagome opened her eyes to be in sesshomarus body

**Naraku's mind games**

**Petty embarrassing game pt.1**

Kagome opened her eyes to be in sesshomaru's body. Around her Inuyasha was practically sitting on Miroku, but hey were intently discussing tomorrow's journey.

She blinked at hem sleepily, still unable to comprehend the situation.

When she did she jumped three feet in the air, back wards, and landed on Inuyasha.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing?" Inuyasha demanded irritably.

"Um...sorry Inuyasha...I guess I just freaked out a little...I'm sesshomaru aren't I?" she asked hopelessly.

Inuyasha nodded dumbstruck.

Miroku looked on in the background of the unfolding scene, thoughtfully.

"What? So you're saying that you are now kagome?" Miroku asked in a grave tone.

Kagome replied sarcatically, rolling her eyes "no, im sango!"

She watched miroku's wailing with amusement. He spluttered "no...No! Sango...my dear sango! You have lost your beautiful body to come in this ...this...this ...hidious!" he cried tears welling out of his eyes.

Just that moment sikb (sesshomaru in kagome's body) stepped in the hut and growled as he heard miroku's last comment.

"Who are you calling hidious?" he asked in such a dangerous voice that none believed kagome possessed.

Kisb (kagome in sesshomaru's body) covered up for Miroku. "No, actually, he was wailing on the loss of Sango's body...you know...perverted monk...perverted thoughts!" she rolled her eyes.

"Say... Me and sango were coming back...where is Sango?" Kisb gave sikb a quizzical glance.

Sikb moved more into the doorway; there he was carrying sango, on piggyback.

Miroku recovered immediately from where he was moaning in a corner and leaped at sikb, snatching sango from his back.

"What did you do to her?" miroku hollered, his eyes clouded with worry.

Sikb replied coolly." "I did nothing. She simply fainted when I mentioned that the miko and I had changed bodies again."

By this time sango had awoken and grumbled "fainted, my foot! I was braiding kagome's hair for a moment and the next thing I know, him (she pointed at sesshomaru) in her (she pointed at kagome) body lashed at me and I was flying through the air because I didn't expect it and slammed straight into a tree! He's the one that over-reacted, not me!" she finished, indignant.

Now all eyes were on sikb. He merely shook them off with a poised answer.

"I may have glazed over a few unimportant details."

Silence began its realm.

After a while, sikb broke the silence by laughing with Inuyasha.

While everyone else stared at the unusual sight of sesshomaru laughing, sikb stood up.

"Stop laughing wench!" he growled.

Kisb stuck her tongue out and replied naughtily "what? Am I ruining you're image here?"

Sikb replied frostily. "Yes. Now stop laughing, whispering, sticking your tongue out and acting immature. You are in my body, now have some respect!"

Kisb rolled her eyes at sikb and went over to Inuyasha. She kneeled on the ground, with her hands on his arm, her eyes showing signs of delight, whispering and giggling.

Now normally, if that were kagome, it would not have been out of place. But on sesshomaru's body, it looked very odd.

Rather hillarious. So funny that they could barely conceal their laughter. Sikb was REALLY getting annoyed now.

Whatever Kisb was whispering too Inuyasha, it must have been quite entertaining, because a second later Inuyasha's eyes widened and they both were rolling on ground with laughter.

This sikb could not handle.

He growled." Wench! Get up! You are ruining my armor! Act dignified. I do not look forward to having my reputation ruined by the likes of you!"

Kisb just laughed harder, but was finally able to calm herself, all for that twinkle in the eye. she skipped (yes, skipped) across the hut, making sikb growl louder, grabbed her yellow backpack and motioned for Inuyasha to come outside with her.

He went grinning like an idiot.

Inuyasha met kagome outside the hut. Upon acknowledging the evil look in her eye, he grinned harder.

After the huts inhabitants were allowed times for their curiosity to arise as to what the two were doing outside, they made an enterence, both giggling worse than Rin.

If it were possible for the jaws of sikb, miroku, sango, kaede, shippo, and jaken they would have hit the ground and traveled to the other end of the earth right about now. But since it wasnt, they hung open and barely audible squeaks could be heard.

Sesshomaru's body had been vandalized, with purple nail polish, eyeliner, blush (of Sango's) on the top of the list of the most embarrassing.

But the one that snowcapped it all was the fact that Kisb had tied pink and purple ribbons around sesshomaru's tail and had it wrapped it around her neck as a boa, petting it continually.

Whilst sikb struggled to recover himself, kisb and Inuyasha leaped in front of where he sat and pointing their fingers in his face with a gloating leer, they both yelled "THIS IS PAYBACK!" and burst into laughter like a pair of crazed brothers.

Now naturally that got everyone out of their shock and busy laughing. That is except for jaken, who fell at (who he thought) was his masters feet and begged "oh master sesshomaru! Master, are you alright? Forgive me, but your new cross-dresser appearance will certainly not be approved by the other rulers of Japan. Master!" with another look at his deranged lord's face, he left the hut , to cry out his woes in isolation.

Meanwhile, sikb had recovered from e shock and while everyone laughed themselves to their death, he was advancing murderously at his former body. He gripped Kisb by the neck and held her there, high above his head.

The hut became deathly silent as Inuyasha began to help and was subdued. through all this, Kisb just giggled. sikb looked at her as if she were crazy. I sure do hope that some of her stupid ness doesn't rub off on my body. There was not an ounce of fright in her eyes.

"you know you cant hurt me, priestess?" she challenged.

Sikb's mouth dropped but realized what she meant and dropped her. After hearing a successful thud on Inuyasha's back, sikb thought.

That's right! if I hurt her, I'll be the one in pain when I get switched back! Damn!

A growl escaped his lips, but he calmed himself, smiled and leaned over to where Kisb was picking herself up.

"a petty embarrassing game you want, a petty embarrassing game you shall get, kagome!"

With that he went and sat dangerously close to Inuyasha who was stretching his back from the subduing. A very dangerous smile creped on his face as he screamed on the top of his lungs "sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! sit! siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!...heheh!"

Inuyasha swore and crashed to the ground. Sikb smirked and jumped and landed directly on his spine. when he got off and started rolling on the floor, laughing himself into hysterics, the other occupants of the hut were also tempted to do so, for Inuyasha had two beautifully made pigtails trailing down his chest.

As Sango (out of pure fun) and sikb wolf–whistled, Inuyasha grumbled "they are made so neatly, you'd think he practiced on himself...grumble...swear...grumble!"

As Inuyasha took them off, sikb glanced at his real body and smirking, asked "Give up?" just as kouga entered the hut from his evening walk.

"never!" Kisb spat.

Acknowledging this with a twinkle of his eye, sikb dished out the next round of torture.

0000000000000000000000000000

Hhaha!that was fun!

Same in the next chapter!

R&R plz!


	12. Chapter 12

Naraku's mind games Naraku's mind gamesPetty embarrassing game pt2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, any part of that or sponge bob square pants or his goopy gooper song.(that does sound funny in a disclaimer doesn't it?)**

Sikb bounced over where kouga had just entered the hut from his evening walk and asked in a sugar coated voice "Kouga, Darling! How was your walk?"

Kouga was confused, but happy.

_Just a day ago, kagome had pushed him away, and now...oh well. He grinned. At least she was ready to become his woman now!_

He smiled and stuck out his tongue and Inuyasha , who was across the hut, steaming, and slid his arm around sikb.

After moments of trembling emotions, Inuyasha got up and punched kouga square in the face. Kisb got up and kicked sikb in the shin rather why. She knew that she'd be the one who'd have the bruise, but she didn't care. At the same, sikb decided that he had enough of kouga so he pushed him away.

Ignoring Inuyasha, kouga turned to (who he thought was kagome).

He looked heartbroken. His eyes were wide he flattened down his ears and whimpered.

"What? Did I do something wrong kagome? im sorry, I never meant to hurt you! Please forgive me!" and with a glance at his pitiful face, he was left bewildered as everyone including (who he thought was) Kagome, burst into laughter.

Kouga was left to stare wide-eyed at everyone while Kisb went over to Inuyasha and whispered something to Inuyasha which caused him to widen his eyes and gain a mischievous glint.

Sesshomaru looked on in interest. _He would not let that wench embarrass him without making her wish she were dead too._

He interrupted from his thoughts from the sound and sight of Inuyasha and Kisb with wide toothed grins, with their arms slung over each others shoulders, singing quite loud.

"I'm a goofy goober

Your a goofy goober

Were all goofy goobers

goofy goofy goofy goober

Put your toys away.

Well all I gotta say when you tell me not to play i say no way!

NO!

Way no ,no frikin' way

I'm a kid you say when you say i'm a kid

I say say it again and then i say thanks!

Thank you very much.

So if your thinkin that you'd like to be like me. Go ahead and try.

The kid inside will set you free!

I'm a goofy goober.

your a goofy goober

Were all goofy goob—"

The sound of singing was drowned out by the peals of laughter at the outrageously stupid sounding song they were singing.

Sikb narrowed his eyes as Sango commented "Who would have known that sesshomaru and Inuyasha really loved each other?", cracking up again. "aawww...thats so sweet!"

Kisb waited until the laughter subsided, then replied sweetly "Oh yes! Inuyasha is my bestest friend!"

Shippo was rolling on the floor.

"actually, for frankness, sango, call me Sesshy!" sesshomaru's face broke up into a sunny smile.

No one bothered to be deathly silent while sikb got up; furious.

_Ha! That was great but stupid! Stupid but great!_

As Sikb walked across the hut, his anger was clouding his head too much to notice that fact that kagome was trying to; _correction_; had tripped him, until he fell flat on his face. Kisb and Inuyasha held him down as Kisb stroked his hair and said "I see that that formula I gave you is really paying off, your hair really is much better then bef-"and was attacked by kouga.

Kouga leapt on Kisb and threw her to the ground, his teeth bared." Kagome is my woman! You can't have her Sesshomaru! She is mine!" he repeated, grinding his teeth.

Kisb was just about to push him off, when a very amused monk came between them. "Now gentlemen! Or should I say kouga and kagome who has switched bodies with Sesshomaru...calm down!"

Slowly realization dawned on kouga. He looked astonished at first but then just leaned back his head and laughed until he was turning blue from lack of oxygen, exposing his teeth.

Sikb quieted down for now but was determined to get revenge.

000000000000000000000000000000

He got his chance when everyone was all set to eat and gathered around the fire outside. He made a puzzled face "hmmmm...where am I to eat now?" He asked innocently. Sango replied "just park your rear end anywhere and start eating! Sheesh! Do you have to be told that too?"

It was clear that something had Sango very annoyed.

Sikb gave a 'hmph' and sat down with kouga, across Inuyasha.

Throughout dinner, Sikb, after eating a morsel of food himself, fed one to kouga, and stuck out his tongue at inuyasha.

Kouga played along happily, he too, wanting to make Inuyasha jealous...of what he didn't know...but he seriously wanted to. Just to make sure he achieved his goal, he was sending a continues stream of smug glances at Inuyasha. Inuyasha wasn't even eating for looking at them.

After about the third time, Inuyasha couldn't handle it anymore and crept over to Kisb (for revenge) and put his head in his lap, clutching his arm and stomach.

He flopped down and began whispering (quite loud) "Oh big brother! have returned from defeating Naraku but I am weak and injured and shall not be able to defend and care for myself for some time. What do I do big brother? Who do I rely on?" he choked out, artificial tears welling up in his eyes.

Kagome looked down at the trying-to-be- pitiful hanyou in her lap and almost laughed at his attempt to make a sick scene, bit her lip and replied, stroking Inuyasha's ears, "Of course dear brother! Anything for you, for we are sibling and shall remain as such till they day we are separated by death!" she declared devotedly.

"oh big brother!" he gasped out, more from the effort not to laugh, then to act as if crying.

"oh little brother!" Kisb cried out, biting her lip to prevent herself from rolling on the ground, and she began feeding him, his starry eyes staring pointedly at her chin, trying not to laugh, as the rest of the group (except sikb) was doing so.

They could barely conceal their laughter and so after every few minutes of Inuyasha's feeding, one of them would snigger, and then turn red at the attempt of hiding their amusement.

Sango, shippo, Miroku, Rin, Kaede and Kilala (Jaken had been sent back to Sesshomaru's castle) watched on in amused interest.

Shippo remarked "wow! Dinner and a show!" To this comment, no one could really control their emotions.

And a show it was indeed; even to Naraku, who was watching through the eyes of Ugly Bunny and enjoying every second of it.

_That's right_ thought Naraku, _They both embarrass each other. Instant boredom killer!_

**0000000000000000000000000**

**The show progressed.**

When Inuyasha brought up childhood memories of Sesshomaru's blunders (like the time he fell in the fish pond and couldn't out...heheh...Inuyasha had to save him) ,

Sikb slid his hand around Kouga.

Inuyasha and Kisb started singing again.

Kouga grinned and slid his arm around sikb.

Inuyasha and Kisb gave death glares at their current rivals.

Kouga started to feed kagome (or her body anyways).

This was more then Inuyasha could take.

He sprang up snarling.

Kouga also jumped up, growling.

They circled the fire.

Inuyasha leapt for kouga.

Sikb sat Inuyasha. Twenty times.

But too late.

Now kouga was sandwiched between Inuyasha, and the floor.Sikb calmly went and sat on top of the mountain of flesh, calling out an apology to Kouga. "Sorry kouga!But for my mate to stay put, I have to squish you too!"

Inuyasha squirmed.

Another 'sit' command issued its way out of sikb's mouth.

Upon hearing the remark that sikb said relating to her, Kagome in Sesshomaru's body, sprung up and gritted her teeth.

" I.AM.NOT.HIS!" she yelled.

"Well Duh!" Sikb rolled his eyes. "You're his brother!" he said in a tone that clearly indicated that he thought she was dim-witted.

Not being able to think up a retort to that, and being at a loss of words, Kisb sat down.

The rest of dinner passed in (to some extent) peace.

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Hehe! Another chapter completed.

This one was fun...I have no idea what is gonna happen next time.

R&R plz!


	13. Chapter 13

Naraku'smind games Naraku's mind games

Kaede's blessing

Kagome spun around on the spot on when she heard her name being called. She faced Kaede.

"Kagome, child..." she began. "I don't know what thee will make of this, but this is my blessing and hopefully I twill help thee along the trip."

She sighed, and pressed her palm against against Kagome's, who looked down eagerly.

It was an ordinary brown bag, a very small one, to have fit snuggly in Kagome's hand.

She opened it and gasped.

"Thank you soo much Kaede! I am sure that these will be put to good use!" she gave a hug and a radiant smile and put the two subduing necklaces in her yellow school bag which she was previously packing.

_Alright!_ Kagome thought. _Now at least I'll have some control over the guys...I just hope that they won't need it._

Sango looked suspiciously at her friend, having just emerged from the forest, a few moments later. She was practically glowing.

_I will have to go and ask her the cause of the immediate happiness_. She thought.

_We don't want her smiling all over Sesshomaru_, picturing her doing exactly that and then Sesshomaru turning around and killing them all.

_Yes_, she willed. _She would ask._

She approached Kagome and jumped on her, knocking her over. Kagome just giggled as they both rolled around, trying to tickle the crap out of each other first.

When they'd both finally had enough, they sat side by side, panting.

"Why are you so happy kagome?" sango asked.

Kagome's eyes twinkled. "I'll show you." And got out the subduing necklaces from her bag.

Sango's eyes widened when she caught sight of them and immediately started giggling, joined by Kagome.

"We are going to need a way to protect ourselves, aren't we?" she asked playfully.

"Oh, yes, definitely!" sango replied. "Oh yes!"

No one could figure out exactly why, when they left for Sesshomaru's castle an hour later to meet with Sorai, his advisor, Sango and Kagome were grinning and giggling every time they looked at one of the guys.

When the girls went to take a bath, and they had set up for the night, Miroku shared his theory.

"Perhaps," he explained to Inuyasha, Kouga and Sesshomaru (who was only half listening) "they both have realized how handsome I am!...sigh!"

Inuyasha immediately got up and hit the hilt of tetsuiga in Miroku's head just as Sango emerged and bashed her boomerang into his back, Kagome kicked him in the leg and Kouga had punched him the stomach.

Needless to say, the monk fell over awful fast, unconscious at Sango's feet.

She grumbled "You would think that he would have a bit of sense to keep his mouth shut!"

Sesshomaru smirked inwardly.

_This rag tag group is quite amusing...he thought...I just hope they behave themselves in my castle. I just wouldn't do for the lord of the west to bring a group of humans with twisted humors (not to include his brother) in his castle, that went around causing the lord of the west to run around in a miniskirt._

_He lost the smile and banished the thought immediately. I hope that they never get that idea or never have the guts to try that out, especially at HIS castle._

_It would seem pretty humorous for his brother to go around in a miniskirt though...hmm...how he wished kagome had gotten swapped with him instead... why must he always end up with bad luck?_

He looked back at the group now wondering to do the monk when he woke up, Sango currently sitting on him and tying his hands down, and smirked again.

Oh yes, his dear brother had chosen very comical members to form his friends.

If his conscious didn't mind his saying, he would be having quite a lot of fun.

His mind slid back to last night. _He had gotten the upper hand. The wench failed. Hehe!_

His conscious whispered, '_You had more fun last night then when Rin had accidentally knocked jaken out by putting too man flowers on him. And yes, that was hilarious.'_

_Maybe it had something to do with his not having to put on his ice mask. Laughing and joking openly, even in kagome's body, had given him a break. It was almost like... when he was with his father. How did the great inu-tashio do it?_

_He showed his emotions, yet was feared and ruled with supremacy._

_I do that, but keeping my (as kagome calls it) 'I've-got-more-ice-then-a-glacier' mask the entire way._

He was interrupted by Rin who had come and jumped on his lap.

"oomph!" he let out a groan, preparing to slay whoever had dared disturb him, but seeing Rin's cheerful face, calmed down immediately.

_How pathetic can I get? I can't even tell Rin how she is like a daughter to me._ _Maybe...maybe...just perhaps... I should learn something from my brother and his rag tag group._ He banished the thought at once. _What are you thinking Sesshomaru?_

_This great Sesshomaru does not need help, much less from a hanyou and a group of humans._

But his conscious held on to the point as he listened to Rin chatting happily.

00000000000000000000000

Kouga was as bored as hell.

_This seriously not funny_ he thought. _Ugh..two days into the journey and I am already out of things to do._ Then his gaze fell on Inuyasha and he smirked. _Oh that's one amusing hanyou._

_I think I'll go bug the crap out of him again._

The hanyou was already in a hideous mood, courtesy sango pushing Miroku into him, causing them both to fall in a stream.

"stupid sango," he muttered, shaking his sleeves, trying to dry himself "stupid miroku!" _why does that stupid monk have to go annoy sango anyway? Then we all pay for the mood she's in. That idiot!_

As he shook his hair, running his fingers through them to get rid of knots, kouga smirked and asked teasingly "hey puppy? Are you all wet? Awww..poor thing. I almost feel sorry...he got pushed into a stream by sango! You are a lame excuse for a half demon, you know that?"

Inuyasha sighed.

_Did the stupid wolf have to pick now? Grrr... he did that on purpose...just so he would get sat. Well he was going to outsmart him this time!_

"go away" Inuyasha grumbled, glaring out of the corner of his eye.

"its all right dog breath!, I'll help you dry out your hair! After all, its not your fault that a mere human was able to push you back five feet with a side blow of her attack, right?" he smiled with a fake innocence.

Inuyasha growled, this time audibly.

He smashed kouga's head into the tree by neck and held him by the neck just kagome walked in.

She sighed and then flared up. "This is what I get if I try to walk away for five minutes?! You are both are so immature! No, Inuyasha, Kouga I don't care who did what!" she screamed as Inuyasha and Kouga had started to open their mouths to protest.

"Inuyasha sit boy! And you!" she turned dangerously to kouga. He gulped.

_Who knew that kagome, my woman was so scary when she was angry! She looked like a dragon demon, transformed, except way prettier. Ah.. yes.. those wood brown eyes..._

Kouga was truly pathetic. He couldn't even keep his thoughts off kagome's beauty even when confronted by his death.

Kagome took a deep breath. She had to get a hold of herself, before murdering kouga and Inuyasha.

Suddenly an evil idea occurred to her as an punishment. She let go of her fists, smiled at kouga and walked out on them both to plan her great revenge.

Kouga was dumbstruck. Had kagome just let him go? Wow!. She really must be in love with me. He grinned goofily, thinking about how much kagome must have hated herself for yelling at him.

Not that he thought she was abnormal, if I were a girl, I probably couldn't be able to control myself upon seeing me too. He was so handsome, he almost felt sorry for the poor, ugly, unsightly, hanyou.

The poor, ugly, unsightly, hanyou was picking himself off the ground.

He was seriously annoyed. How come kagome hadn't done anything to kouga, and sat him? Why, why, why, why, Oh why?

Maybe she's finally starting to recognize him s mate.

His inner beast growled. No, must not think thoughts like that. Maybe she felt sorry for how pitifully ugly he is , and let him go. Yeah, that's probably it.

He caught a fleeting sight of her face as she walked out.

Or maybe she's saving revenge for later. Yup, that's probably the most likely option.

00000000000000000000

At dinner time, kagome and sango were both practically beaming at everyone, especially kouga.

It scared everyone out of their wits to see them like that, even though no one but Miroku cared to admit it.

When only snores could be heard in the makeshift camp, Kagome prodded Sango on the shoulder.

She rose quietly, and joined Kagome.

They both could barely control their glee to laughing outloud. Kagome slipped a subduing necklace out of her bag and carried it over to where they were standing, almost above kouga.

She gave one very hyper smile before closing her eyes and chanting a certain phrase very softly until the necklace began to glow. She opened her eyes to a blue glowing necklace and a very giddy sango behind it.

She took a deep breath and began to pet Kouga's hair, tied up, even though it was night time. He didn't wake up but instead mumbled "kags...my woman..." and snuggled in closer to the tree he was laying against.

Sango said mischievously. "he sure is one lovesick wolf! I wouldn't be surprise if he's dreaming about the day you wed him!"

Kagome hissed back "I won't wed him!"

Sango replied, "A fantasy then?"

Kagome just rolled her eyes and oh very gently began to lay the necklace on his head.

She held it out awkwardly, and was half way there when he moved. She froze, but seeing that all was alright, gently lay it on his head and slowly moved back.

"What?" Sango asked puzzled. "Aren't you going to slide it over his head?"

Kagome replied. "I don't need to!" and stared at the necklace, while muttering something under her breath.

It began to slowly slide itself over Kouga's head, and onto his neck. Kagome, a bit weary from using her miko powers, smiled. Thinking of drifting off to sleep, she totally forgot about assigning Kouga a word and said "Want to go back to the tent now, Sango? I am dead tired!" and trudged off as the necklace grew blue again, having recognized its command word, the first word out of it's caster's mouth.

00000000000000000000000000

Sesshomaru was amused. This misfit group had a knack for comedy it seemed. Now, courtesy his ears, he had heard all that had gone on. _Kouga will lose a great deal of respect he supposedly has, being a prince and all. This will be quite entertaining. I wonder why he didn't hear them going there, he is a demon after all...oh yes!_

he realized.

_Maybe the girls were quiet... but me, being a dog demon, known for their sharp senses, especially hearing, heard them._

_Tomorrow will be a red letter day for Inuyasha._

00000000000000000000000000

Inuyasha also had ears open when Kouga was sealed to his doom. _Finally! Kagome has got her revenge, and my rival has a necklace. I think Im in heaven!_ He thought blissfully.

00000000000000000000000000

Funny chapter, next will be better.

If I don't get at least two reviews, I am not updating!

So...the faster you review, the faster I update.

Review now!


	14. Chapter 14

Naraku's mind games

Naraku's mind games

Kouga wakes up in hell

Kagome was up early and making ramen for breakfast. She thought she'd break the news to kouga when he woke up, so meanwhile, she just handed out ramen, in a particularly good mood due to her revenge last night.

It seemed Inuyasha was in a really good mood too, probably due to the fact that Kouga was going to wake up in hell, stolen of all his dignity. _Oh this would be fun._

Kagome smiled at him. "Hey Inuyasha?" she called out, "Want some ramen?"

Just as kouga, still asleep had been subdued three feet in the ground.

_What had happened?_ She thought, confused, just as Inuyasha was rolling on the ground laughing with Sango, who had abandoned her ramen to do such.

_Oh now! I didn't assign Kouga his word yet did I?_

_Oh crap!_

_What did I say to make him be subdued? I will have to find out._

She slowly repeated each word she just said, dreading the word which would make Kouga dig three more feet in the ground.

"Hey?" she paused. No result. No blue light. "Inuyasha?" _Thank goodness it wasn't that! Kouga would rather die then have Inuyasha's name become his subduing word._

"want some ramen?" she said quickly and saw that at the word 'want', he had plummeted three more feet in the ground.

Kouga had finally woken up and had raised his head, clearly confused.

Inuyasha held his hand out and welcomed him. "Welcome to hell, kouga!

A place where Kagome's word rules!"

Inuyasha smiled smugly and looked down at the extremely puzzled wolf who was now looking unbelievingly at the necklace on his chest.

He fell down and started pounding the ground.

"Why! Why oh why?! Why must you hate me?" he was clearly throwing a tantrum, to the delight of Inuyasha, who had taken advantage of this opportunity, and had sat on his back.

"Calm down wolf!" he gasped, barely being able to control his laughter.

"Or rather don't! This is really too funny for me!"

Of course at that kouga gave up and after lying motionless on the ground sprang up, knocking Inuyasha off. In the second of confusion, Kouga had his foot on Inuyasha's neck, and pressed.

Inuyasha was not all set back by the turning of the tables, but instead shook Kouga's foot off and turned upside down, hiding his face in his haori.

His shoulders were shaking, not unlike as if crying.

Kagome knelt down by him. _What had gotten into him? He seemed to be having violent mood swings._

As response to her gentle tap on the shoulder, Inuyasha rolled over. There were tears rolling down his face, but from laughter.

"It isn't that funny!" kagome muttered just to calm down Kouga who was now sulking in the corner, though she privately wanted to do the same as Inuyasha. _Who knew kouga would take it so childishly?_

_Good lord! Even sesshomaru was smirking again. Ok...maybe it was funny._

Just to cheer kouga up, she from beside Inuyasha's quivering body rose and sat by Kouga.

He looked defeated, flattened down his ears and turned to Kagome. He looked pitiful for a moment, until he turned away and fell on the ground, pounding and wailing.

"Cheer up kouga!" Kagome gave a sunny smile and continued. "You look really cute when you are having temper tandem!"

At this Inuyasha, just a few feet away, sprang up growling.

Kouga jumped up out of instant happiness and began to taunt him. "Ha! Score! Hey puppy! I just got a compliment from my woman!"

Inuyasha growled. "she.is.not.yours.wolf!"

Sesshomaru looked in interest.

_Well, well, well._

_Inuyasha protected her from kouga and yet did not lay claim on her himself. Was he really that shy, and immature? He would have to use this to its full advantage._ Meanwhile, if it weren't for his mask, he would have been like sango, laughing until his stomach hurt. _This was so amusing. Who knew that his pathetic brother and his friends could bring him so much...enjoyment!_

He continued to look at the rivals in front of him and kept on struggling to uphold his emotionless mask, although the smirk got through.

Kagome sighed and took a survey of the current situation.

Sango rolling on the floor, Miroku, Rin and Shippo asleep, Sesshomaru staring with that satisfied smile, and Kouga and Inuyasha fighting in front of her. _Time to bring this madness to an end!_

"Want to sit boy?" she yelled.

They both plummeted to the ground as Sesshomaru smirked even harder.

_Oh the glory of those necklaces!_ Sesshomaru privately thought. _One for Jaken would not go amiss._

Sango got up grimacing. She gasped "oowwww...stupid stomach...hurts...not fair...too much laughing!" she fell down again, laughing at the sight of Inuyasha and Kouga raising their heads out of the dirt, even though it really hurt to do that. She crept over to where they both lay, smashed the back of their heads with her boomerang and was finally able to get up.

"Inuyasha raised his head first. "Whaddya do that for?"

"You two were making my stomach hurt by being stupid and making me laugh halfway to death!" she accused.

Kagome snickered.

Now that was one accusation she would love to see the courts of modern Japan sort out.

000000000000000000000000000

Phew!

Done!

Review please!


	15. Chapter 15

Naraku's mind games

Naraku's mind games

Confession of a youkai

They had been walking all day after breakfast. It was hot day, the sun beating down as if wanting to melt them.

Rin was tired, and sleepy, and sweaty.

She tightened her ponytail and made up her mind about what she had to do. She skipped over to Sesshomaru's side, ahead of everyone else, and peered up at his face.

She grabbed his hand to make him pay attention and lowered her pace, dragging his hand with her.

"What is it Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, looking straight ahead, in great thought.

She pulled his hand and replied. "Rin is tired and Ah-Un has gone back with Jaken-sama."

He stopped abruptly. "Then we shall rest for some time."

He put his hand on her little shoulder, barely reaching it without bending down, and veered off the road to a shady tree.

_Poor Rin._ He thought. _She is just a little girl, she can't handle the amount of exertion we are doing. Even shippo, he is a demon, he can go that far, plus the miko carries him half the time._

Rin whined. _She wasn't that tired!_

"Rin want to ride on Sesshomaru-sama's back, not rest. Rin is the only one who will rest now, and Sesshomaru-sama's time will be wasted."

_Ride on his back, now?_

_No, that couldn't happen. He was in front of his brother and their friends...yet, he __**did**__ want to cover these fields by nightfall._

"no Rin. You shall rest if you want to or continue walking."

Rin pouted. _Not fair._ She got up and started walking on the road again, Sesshomaru in front of her. After a few minutes, she fell back and jumped up suddenly on Sesshomaru's back.

_If Sesshomaru-sama didn't learn not to push her too far, she would have to teach him_, she thought determinedly.

Sesshomaru sighed_. This always happened when he refused Rin a piggyback ride._

_She would fall back and jump up on him suddenly. Like he couldn't sense her doing that. He could hear her every breath, every step. Yet he never moved out of the way, nor made her get off before she'd had a ride._

_Oh well. It was not like he didn't enjoy them too, she was just so fragile, him carrying her, and her hands clinging on to his shoulders and around his neck._

_It made him feel as if he had a very precious bundle in his care, to love and be gentle with._

_Not that he would ever tell her that though. Not yet. Probably not ever._

He shook off his thoughts and sighed again. He sped up_. Fine, he would let her stay there, but would avoid it at all costs to be seen by his brother._

It wouldn't have really mattered, because, at that moment, Inuyasha was carrying Kagome too. Sesshomaru was aware of that fact but sped up nonetheless.

_It still wouldn't do for them to know who much control Rin had over him._ _He couldn't refuse her any wish, unless for her own safety._

00000000000000000000000000

Inuyasha sped up. He called back to Sango, "Hey! Hurry up back there! Sesshomaru is already far ahead of us and I want to clear these fields by nightfall!"

With that Kirara transformed and Sango, Miroku and Shippo jumped on her.

Kagome held on tighter to Inuyasha's back as he began to jump.

They jumped tree to tree, with Kirara soaring overhead, for a good five minutes, before they saw Sesshomaru on the ground with an orange colored backpack like thing on his back.

As they drew in closer, Kagome realized that the orange thing was Rin.

_Aawwww...she thought. Looks like Sesshomaru did really have a soft spot for Rin, he just didn't show it._

Around her, they all were thinking the same thing pretty much, although in different ways.

_That's so cute! Sesshomaru gives Rin piggybacks!_

_It seems that Rin really is sesshomaru's weak spot._

_Wow! Rin aren't you afraid of him? I am too scared t when he comes in sight, let alone ride on his back!_

_Looks like that ice prince has a little sun of his own._

_Sesshomaru, hehe...that bastard...he has a soft spot for Rin! That hypocrite! He says __**I**__ like humans too much. _

They descended about a few feet ahead of sesshomaru, into clearing he was currently passing.

Inuyasha landed gracefully, grinned and pointed to Rin.

Sesshomaru tensed. He hadn't sensed them coming, but maybe that was because he was listening to Rin's happy chatter. He wasn't going to let her down at any rate now. He wasn't a filthy liar, one that would try to hide it when they all had seen him carrying Rin. _So what?_

_He had his points against Inuyasha too. That wench. He was carrying her, more like a mate. At least he was carrying Rin in a daughter sense!_

He pointed to Kagome, still riding on Inuyasha's back.

Inuyasha immediately let her down, and she ran, flustered and stood behind kirara.

Sesshomaru simply continued walking, right past them, as Inuyasha looked on, flabbergasted.

"I should like to cross these fields by nightfall." He called out frostily, but was inwardly happy.

_Yes! Now he wouldn't have to worry about his brother making fun of him and Rin again! That idiot! He should have more sense then to challenge the great Sesshomaru!_

He drew up with pride. Even while carrying Rin, he was still graceful, an art his bother had never tried to master.

_Thinking of the great Sesshomaru, he would have to have a few words with them before entering western territory._

He sighed and stopped. Jumping up a tree with Rin still on his back, he sat down on a thick branch, with Rin by his feet, leaned back.

_This would be difficult. How to explain the many things to his brother's friends about how to live in his castle?_

_They must not leave a bad example, for after all, he was bringing his brother home, for the first time after he had grown up, and his mother had been murdered._

_He hadn't exactly kicked him out in the first place, he had offered him a position at his castle, but his brother refused, and left, saying that the place had too many memories and he wanted to see the world._

_After that, the brothers had just seemed to like each other less and less...over a span of hundred years, Sesshomaru had tried to teach his brother the finer etiquettes of fighting, the hard way, because he did not want to be placed with the reputation of a fatherly brother._

_So he and Inuyasha had fought._

_He had never wanted Inuyasha's sword. It was his. His birthright, he was just pretending that so his brother would learn how to wield it. The great Sesshomaru would never do anything as so petty as claim what his father had laid off grounds for him. His father's word was the law, even when dead._

_He was family after all, and everything Inuyasha did reflected back on his lands and rule. He was the one who had shown Inuyasha how to use the wind scar, not?_

_And almost got himself killed in the process._

He snorted. _Smart move bro, go and unleash the tetsuiga's full power on the very person who taught you how to unleash it._

_They were so stupid. His brother especially. Even he couldn't see through the mask he put on for his minions. Oh well, its not like he wanted anything in return, but a little respect would not go amiss._

_Stupid little brother. _He smiled inwardly.

_It was just like old times. Stupid Inuyasha._

_Unable to see anything beyond his own nose._

_Feh! Little brother._

_000000000000000000000000_

_Cute chapter!_

_Please tell me what you think by reviewing._

_Next will be funnier, hopefully._


	16. Chapter 16

Naraku's mind games

**Naraku's mind games**

**Fluffy-sama**

Sesshomaru sat by the fire.

He sighed. _He had been dreading this, but he had to do it._

"We shall be reaching my castle by tomorrow night at the latest. I should like it if you all give your word to behave maturely there, and not disrupt my good name." _There! That came out better then he thought it would! Phew!_

Everyone gaped.

Kagome stood up. "What? Are you telling us to behave for the sake of your reputation in your castle?"

Sesshomaru was relieved. "Essentially, yes."

Inuyasha opened his mouth. "Oh! I get it! He is afraid of us going and ruining his reputation! Well, don't you worry, big brother! Don't you worry!" he said grinning.

Sesshomaru groaned. _This was exactly what he didn't want._

"That means no petty embarrassing games, no slayer and monk quarrels in public, no indecent kimono's..." his eyes narrowed on Kagome.

He smirked. "Oh! And yes, no sneaking off to the ladies rooms, Inuyasha."

At this everyone stood up.

Sango took the lead. "Im sorry but all the things you are mentioning are part of us, and your reputation will have to suffer if you ask us to leave these things."

Kagome took over. "IT'S CALLED A MINISKIRT, GODDAMN IT!"

Inuyasha screamed from behind.

"I never snuck to the ladies rooms to meet with anyone! You hear that bastard?"

Sesshomaru ignored everyone and just said frostily, "Quit all the screaming. The noise is most unpleasant to my ears."

Kouga cut everyone off and said. "Yeah everyone! We wouldn't DREAM of harming The Great Sesshomaru's ears now would we?"

To this everyone replied in union. "Of course not!"

Kouga carried on sarcastically. "We worship the ground he walks on as the luckiest ground in the world! We are nothing compared to him. We all should be begging to kiss his feet, and yet-"

He was hit across the head by Inuyasha. "You are taking it too far, wolf!"

Sesshomaru smirked and said "No brother! I rather liked hearing someone who had the right idea about how to look at things!"

Sango cursed. "You arrogant little-"

She was calmed by Kagome, who had tapped her shoulder.

Seeing the evil glint in Kagome's eye, Sango understood.

Kagome and Sango went and to everyone's surprise plopped down on either side by Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru looked at them with an air of disgust. _What were they doing here? Kagome especially was entirely too calm for his liking._

Kagome began.

"So, master Sesshomaru-sama! What do you desire me to do next?"

Inuyasha was staring with his mouth open. Miroku was not much better.

"How about going away?" he growled.

Kagome laughed nervously, and put on a voice an octave higher then her own.

"Oh no but Master Sesshomaru-sama! We have never been separated, nor should I want to! We are after all, your faithful servants till the end..." she droned on, not unlike Jaken.

Sesshomaru was beginning to get nervous. _What were the wretches trying to do now?_

Kagome lifted a hand in the hair and grabbed hold of his fluffy boa thing.

"ohh...so soft!" she cooed.

Sesshomaru snarled. "Wench, get your hand off me or else..."

Kagome just laughed. "Or else what?"

Inuyasha looked faint.

With her free hand, kagome slowly lowered a certain necklace by his head, unnoticed by Sesshomaru.

With a quick movement, and an evil grin that left the demon lord sweating, she pulled it over his head, and she and Sango jumped back at the last movement.

Inuyasha hadn't been barely able to grasp what was happening until now. But now, he understood as the necklace glowed blue, and a triumphant smile crept across Kagome's face.

Sesshomaru stared unbelievingly down at the necklace on his chest. _Ohnonononononononononono!_

Kagome was about to give him a random word, when a very evil idea occurred to her.

"Fluffy-sama!"

She screeched as Sesshomaru fell flat into the ground, and everyone finally realized what had happened.

They broke into laughter.

"Fluffy-sama..." Inuyasha and Sango gasped, on the floor, clutching their stomachs.

_Damn wench!_

_This is the reason why I hate humans._

_Scratch the part where I complimented about the glory of the necklaces._

"**DAMN YOU!!"**

He roared, springing up ten feet in the air.

Inuyasha froze. God, his brother looked damn scary.

Terrifying. Horrifying.

But kagome just laughed and said "Hey Fluffy?"

He fell flat again.

Inuyasha never loved kagome more.

Sesshomaru was pissed. _That certain girl, his brothers wench, yes her, he wanted her to DIE._

_She didn't deserve to live._

_She disgraced him so much...that ..that... HUMAN THAT DESERVED TO BE HUNG UPSIDE DOWN, EAT HIS POISON, AND DIE A SLOW, PAINFUL DEATH._

_Or wait... hmm... maybe she should be forced to attend one of the yearly politic meetings with the other rulers of Japan, or...wait... wear a full kimono...yep...that would probably kill her!_

_Or push her over a mountain, revive her with tensiga, and do it again...nonetheless, he would not let her wrap her around her finger. He had that respect at least._

_He would not take orders from her._

He sprang up, and before Kagome could notice, landed on her shoulder.

She 'fluffy'd him again, only to be squished between him and the ground.

Stupid move.

He smirked.

"Get off me!" kagome yelled. "You weigh like a thousand pounds, you...you beast!"

He just snickered. "Your fault human!"

After a moment, he asked, "What exactly did you do this for?"

"Do what?"

"The reason I am being forced to lie on top of you and breathe lightly, for fear of being overwhelmed by your sweaty dirty, human scum scent!"

Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Ohhh! The necklace? That is for being an arrogant, stuck up, youkai with a humans-are-dirt attitude, who gets his cheap thrills by constantly torturing me and Inuyasha, and asking us all to behave in your castle, AND who keeps on switching bodies with me, and embarrassing me in the process!"

"Again, not my fault human!"

"See? There you go again, with your little attitude!"

"Last time I checked, I wasn't not going anywhere!"

"you..you..freak! GET OFF ME!!"

"Like I'm not trying. I have no desire to be so close to you. That I presume, is Inuyasha's job." He smirked.

"aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!! You idiot! BASTARD!"

"Stop that. The noise is most unpleasant to my ears."

"Oh yes! Your precious ears!" kagome muttered sarcastically. "It is always about your precious ears!"

"Indeed."

They lay in silence.

"WILL YOU GET OFF ME ALREADY? I don't want to be sandwiched between you and the ground!"

"Believe me the feeling's mutual."

He smirked again and continued.

"I believe Inuyasha is also getting restless for you to be so close judging by his continuous tugging on my armor."

Kagome grew wide-eyed.

"A empty worry though," Sesshomaru continued, his voice slightly muffled, but as smug as ever. "I don't steal women from the family."

The dog demon never ceased to amaze her. At this kagome began to pound Sesshomaru's armor with her fists.

"I AM NOT HIS! You..you...IDIOT...RETARD..." and a continuous stream of swear word flew out of her mouth which came from the long association with Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru growled.

"Quiet wench! Rin shall not pick up on vulgar words!"

She began a dry sob/wail.

"Fluf-"

A clawed hand clamped over her mouth. "You wouldn't dare!" the owner of the hand hissed. "One more word and another fifteen minutes of Inuyasha getting restless."

She knocked it off. "I DONT CARE! FLUFFY! FLUFFY! FLUFFY!"

They got pushed a few more feet in the ground, but didn't notice for the necklace had started to glow intensely pink.

The light filled their eyes with a head splitting brightness.

"What the?!" Sesshomaru started, his eyes wide.

"No idea..."kagome replied, truthful, just before both of them fell into darkness.

00000000000000000000

Inuyasha had finally managed to pulled Sesshomaru off Kagome with the help with Kouga.

Sango and Miroku immediately leaped over to where Kagome lay.

"Are you alright Kagome?" Shippo jumped on top of her unconscious body.

Over to the side, Inuyasha and Kouga head flipped Sesshomaru around.

"No one touches my woman!"

"You could have hurt kagome you bastard!"

"You are not going to live, if kagome is mad at you."

"Your sorry ass will be in its grave if you don't fall down and beg right now!"

"Why the hell did you lie on top of my woman for half an hour straight?!"

"Yeah, why the hell did you?"

"You jackass, SHE IS MINE!"

"What part of that do you not understand?"

"Never touch her again!"

"If I hear that you've so much as looked towards her-"

"Your gonna be sorry!"

"Your gonna regret it!"

"Your gonna get it now!"

"Stupid Sesshomaru!"

"Freak of nature!"

"Bug eyed..."

They both paced up and down in front of Sesshomaru, too busy with their own argument to listen to the other person, not noticing that Sesshomaru was dead to the world.

00000000000000000000000

Long chapter!

R&R plz!


	17. Chapter 17

"uh

**Naraku's mind games**

**Psychic**

"uh...my head!" Kagome groaned.

_Finally! She woke up!_

_Kagome-mommy, I hope you're alright!_

_Ah, kagome-sama, thank goodness you have awakened! Inuyasha has been so worried!_

_Kagome, are you alright? If Sesshomaru hurt you then he's not getting out of here alive! I promise!_

_Finally! My woman must have really been freaked out!_

"Could you please be quiet? My head is aching!" Kagome whispered softly.

Sango looked at her, puzzled. "Um.. Kagome, we weren't saying anything!"

_Just wait till that idiot wakes up. Ill kill him! Now cause of him she's hallucinating!_

"I am not hallucinating!" she screeched.

"What? We never said you were... Kagome, are you alright?" Inuyasha looked concerned.

Kagome was perplexed. She was sure that she had heard Inuyasha say that, but it was more in her head, like a voice coming from behind.

She had a sinking feeling that the necklace had shone pink for a reason, but she had to find out.

"I'm alright!" she said, waving away her friends concerned faces.

_Are you sure about that kagome?_

This time she was paying attention to the voice and it seemed to be Inuyasha's voice, coming from the back of her head... and his lips weren't even moving! _Dear Lord!_

She had to check this out one last time.

"Sango, do you want to take a bath? I am feeling quite hot, and could use a chance to cool off." Right after uttering these words, she heard Miroku's voice the loudest.

_Oh yes! They are going to take a bath!_

This time she was definite there was no change in him except a slight twinkle in the eye. Then came the rest of the thoughts.

_I sure hope the monk stays put._

_Ok, so that was Inuyasha._

_I would love to kagome!_

_That's Sango._

_The monk better not be going to bother my woman again._

_That's kouga!_

_Wow! I guess I'm psychic!_

_Oh no! What if Sesshomaru got affected too?_

She asked Sango as they were getting clothes.

"Sango, where's Sesshomaru? I haven't exactly seen him around."

She replied. "He's still unconscious. I wonder why you both got knocked out though, it couldn't have been good.."

She turned around to see Kagome sprint towards where they both had gone unconscious, at break-neck speed.

"Wait!" she called out. "Where are you going?" _I wanted to take a bath too!_

"I'm just coming...you start to go to the springs, I'll be there soon!" she yelled back.

She reached Sesshomaru a few minutes later. He was still unconscious, with Rin sitting by his side.

"How is he?" she asked Rin anxiously.

Rin sniffled and was about to answer when Sesshomaru stirred.

Kagome knelt down by him and as he open his eyes, thought really hard_. CAN YOU HEAR ME?_

_After all, he was exposed to the light too, and if her prediction was correct, it was something to do with her saying his word while so close. But she had done that to Inuyasha too..._

Sesshomaru yelped, jumped up three feet in the air, and landed hard, rubbing his head.

"Yes! Stupid wench!"

Kagome smiled sheepishly and pulled Sesshomaru away from Rin for a second.

_What could they want to talk about without me there?_

Rin looked puzzled but stayed put while Kagome dragged Sesshomaru a bit further.

_Release me you wench!_

"Release me you wench!"

_Hm...interesting...it seemed that a person really did think of what to say before he said it... _Kagome thought.

"Hang on what?" he asked, this time audibly.

She grinned awkwardly and said, "Nothing, just my wandering thoughts. Never mind!"

_Wandering thoughts my foot! _He grumbled in his mind.

"I heard that!" kagome said.

_What? I didn't say that out loud!_

"I know! Something happened we were squished and now, I think we both can read minds!" kagome blurted it out.

"What?!" Sesshomaru's eye's widened with shock.

"Fine, if you need proving, I know you just thought the rest of the sentence in your mind and it had swearing in it!" Kagome said triumphantly.

She continued as Sesshomaru stayed frozen.

"Now your thinking, this is impossible, I wonder why this happened, and oh! Don't worry, Rin is fine!" she added.

This time Sesshomaru didn't bother to hide the rest of his sentence.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" he asked.

"Ha I told you!" Kagome was smug, although for what she didn't know.

_Not fair!_

_Why do I have to the one with bad luck?_

_I can hear you, you know!_

_Great! Now we can have mental conversations! What fun!_

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

"Come on! We'd better be going back by now." Kagome said, urging him to get up.

_Sheesh stupid wench! Stop saying it! I have to hear it double then!_

_I know! Annoying isn't it?_

_Annoying? What do you know about annoying, miko?_

_A whole shit load more then I would like to know, Sesshomaru! Like Inuyasha, almost all the time!_

_Inuyasha is nothing compared to Jaken! Try living with him for three hundred years!_

Kagome giggled. _You know, talking to ourselves in our mind can't be a sign of sanity._

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow_. Who said you were sane?_

_I did! Now screw off!_

_Don't use vulgar language with me!_

_You can't do anything! I'm only thinking it!_ She stuck out her tongue and raced ahead of Sesshomaru.

When he had finally caught up, he asked

_What do you think happened to make us have this ability?_

_I think it had something to do with me saying fluffy when you were so close-oh sorry!_

_For what?_

_Your not subdued? I guess then thinking it doesn't work._

_Continue already!_

_Alright alright Sheesh! But then me and Inuyasha have been that close when I've said the word-_

Sesshomaru smirked. _No doubt you have._

This time kagome didn't care if he heard double or not, opened her mouth and screeched "FLUFFY!" before running towards the hot springs where Sango was waiting.

Prior to leaving she sent him a final message.

_Don't tell anyone yet!_

_0000000000000000000000000000000_

_Fun chapter! _

_It really did complicate the plot alot, but enjoy anyways!_

_And Review please!_

_No seriously, please!_


	18. Chapter 18

Naraku's mindgames

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**He's a prince?**

A beautiful castle dawned on the horizon. It was a typical Japanese mansion, with slanted red roofs, and stunning sand gardens and balconies.

Kagome gasped when she saw it and thought for sesshomaru to hear, _Wow! Your castle is so awesome!_

Sesshomaru replied. _It is none less then expected by a prince to have._

They still hadn't told everyone about their mind reading ability, and neither did Kagome want to. She figured that they might need it against who ever they were up against, and besides, it couldn't hurt anyway, right?

She had been mentally messaging sesshomaru all day, in hopes of getting under his skin, but so far he had replied civilly. Maybe the whole talking thing ticked him off.

She was getting random thoughts from everyone, but, upon practicing she could close in on the person she wanted to hear, and block out the others. She had done that to everyone so far, with very amusing results, (especially with Miroku) and had success, except for Sesshomaru. He seemed to just block off his mind and she couldn't get inside no matter how much she forced herself to listen hard.

Maybe it was because he also had the mind reading power, and he couldn't hear her either? They hadn't gotten a chance to discuss their power (verbally) all morning, due to them being in the company of six others, who would think it very strange indeed if they walked off to have a chat.

_RAMEN!_

She stumbled, when she was interrupted by this sudden thought.

_Why the hell would Inuyasha just decide to scream ramen inside his mind out of no where? Stupid Inuyasha! Couldn't think of anything but food, could he?_

Sesshomaru smirked when he saw her stumble. _Be less jumpy miko, and do not let the insane thoughts of the insane group I am currently taking home, get to you._

Inuyasha caught her by the arm. _Human are so clumsy. Look at me, having to take care if kagome all the time, not that I mind it though..._

_So, I am a burden to him, am I?_ Kagome wrenched her elbow away from Inuyasha, glared at him and was about to sit him when Sesshomaru's thought crossed her mind.

_Hm.. What an amusing scene! Inuyasha saves kagome from falling and kagome sits him. I wonder what sango will make of that, Miko? Might ruin your reputation a bit. Just a hint of advice._

Before Kagome had time to reply, they entered the castle walls and were greeted by all of Sesshomaru's officers and inhabitants of the castle they ran into.

"Welcome back Sesshomaru-sama!" they echoed, all through the castle.

Kagome was puzzled at their behavior. _How come that they all are acting and thinking like they had never seen a human before?_

_Well, well, well, Sesshomaru is bringing a human home?_

_I never thought I'd see the day._

_What, is she like foreign or something?_

_Oh my god! Sesshomaru brought his brother and a group of humans home!_

Inuyasha was pointedly looking at the back of Sesshomaru's head, avoiding taking in his surroundings. Kagome almost laughed at the sight of him, but tried to pass of the snigger as a cough. It failed miserably and came across more like she was chocking.

Sesshomaru smirked.

Kagome glared.

Sesshomaru began to think something, when she cut him off. _No smart aleck answers, Sesshomaru!_

000000000000000000000000

They were led to their rooms with a wave of Sesshomaru's hand.

Inuyasha, of course, walked off to his own room, by himself, looking lost in thought. The servants came scurrying, demons, and a few humans it seemed, for Rin.

She seemed completely at home here, running through the corridors at her will.

"Oh wow!" kagome commented, seeing her room for first time. It had a very grand touch, with magnificent curtains, a silk lacy bed sheet and bamboo floors with a brown and red theme. If this was a guest room, then she would love to see what Sesshomaru's room looked like.

She flopped down on her bed and opened her mind of all barriers for others thoughts. At once, she felt a searing pain across her forehead as if someone had slashed it open with a knife. As reaction to the pain, she curled up on the bed, holding her head with both hands.

_Oh no!_

_When is there gonna be something to eat?_

_So...sesshomaru's back?_

_Let's just tell a servant to do it._

_Stupid master! Always having a set list of things for me to do._

_I would love to go see the gardens!_

_It's such nice weather today!_

There were a million thoughts entering her head, and she couldn't stop them once she had let off all barriers.

She felt sick next and sunk off the bed, moaning. Her head was aching and, she couldn't think, or move much.

Just when the intensity of the thoughts felt like it was increasing, she gave up being quiet and hoping that it would all go away and tried to call for help.

_Big mistake._

Her own thoughts just topped the ones coming in, and she felt another searing blast on her forehead.

There she lay, with excruciating pain, for what seemed like forever, trying many times to call out the names of her friends, or anyone for help, but only succeeding in increasing the pain.

She felt weak, and it seemed to her that she was about to pass out any minute now, when Sango walked in.

She Kagome on the floor, pale, dripping in sweat, ice cold and clutching her head and she gasped.

Sprinting over to her side, Sango rolled her over.

"Kagome, are you alright?" she repeated once, twice and many times because she wasn't getting an answer.

_No Sango!_ Kagome thought, even though it hurt her_. Don't think, makes..pain..much worse!_

But Sango definitely could not hear her thoughts, and continued to sprinkle water on her and think loudly.

She gasped with pain once in a while, and quivered harder when there were more thoughts entering her mind; until Sango decided that she had to call someone, and couldn't handle this by herself.

She opened the door and dashed out, right into a passing Sesshomaru.

"Thank goodness you're here!" she gasped out before grabbing the hand of a startled Sesshomaru and pulling him into the room.

When he saw Kagome, he immediately tried to read her mind, as a way of getting information as to what had happened. _There is no blood, yet Kagome was acting like there are wounds on her forehead. Strange..._

As soon as he tried to enter her mind, the searing pain struck him too, along with the voice of a thousand thoughts. He managed to close his mind though, because unlike Kagome, he was hearing them second-person.

Taking a deep breath, he mustered up his mental strength and entered her mind once more.

He again felt the intense flash of pain, but this time he had a mental shield against the thoughts. Upon entering her mind, he had succeeded in shielding her from half the lower volume thoughts.

_Damn!_ He cursed inside his head as he figured that he could not do much more. There were still an immense amount of the thoughts entering, and his stamina was losing, fast, trying to block the thoughts of so many people, that too, from **two** minds.

If Kagome didn't manage to wake up and seal off the rest of the thoughts, they both would be helpless like this, until nighttime at least, when there were minimum thoughts in the castle.

_Seal them off!_ He willed the miko.

Sango had run off to find kagome's medicine kit, leaving sesshomaru instructions to do what ever he could to ease her pain. _Like he needed them. _He thought sarcastically.

Sesshomaru was starting to show a light grimace, and had braced himself, as if in a battle.

He could feel his mental stamina almost gone by this point. He was weakened.

Leaning over slowly, and willing himself to hold on a little longer, slapped the miko across the face.

Her eyelids fluttered and she realized that the thoughts had weakened by intensity. Assembling the last of her strength, mostly drained from all the pain, she pictured a mental wall, and set up her barrier.

Sesshomaru was relieved of the pain, and he, feeling dizzy sat down on the bed immediately.

Kagome was still on the floor, but had managed to sit up a little.

They both sat there, panting, mentally drained, one with pain, and the other with effort, pale, and sweating until Sango returned.

When Sango did return, in effort to give an answer to all her questions, Kagome finally opened her own thoughts. Before she had blocked off everyone's thoughts, including her own, to rid her self of the pain.

Now when she tried to think, cautiously, she felt a dull throbbing pain, like of a wound healing, and managed to reply dumbly to Sango's questions.

"I don't know what happened..." she said weakly. "Headache...need Aspirin...fast...my bag...Sesshomaru needs it too.."

Sango was quite bewildered as to why Sesshomaru also need medicine, but deciding this was not the best time to ask questions, simply obeyed.

Sesshomaru took the medicine without any complaint and ate it. He grimaced at the taste but washed it down with water.

At once, his head seemed to become less heavy, and he stood up.

"I came here to inform you and Rin that dinner was ready. Show yourselves in the dining hall after fifteen minutes." He sniffled delicately and left.

_There you go! _Kagome thought. _Same ice cold prince again!_

_You never would have guessed that he just saved me from permanent brain damage!_

The dog demon lord never ceased to amaze her.

000000000000000000000000000000

Wow!

Okay, so not such a good idea.

Just open your mind to like a thousand people's thoughts. Not good.

Anyway...REVIEW PEOPLE!

Please?


	19. Chapter 19

Naraku's Mind Games

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**Sorai**

Dinner was an uneventful affair.

_If one were to summon it one sentence_; Kagome thought, _it would be like, enduring constant stares from everyone. Oh how she hated the superiority complex that some of these had. What wouldn't she do to just go and shoot purifying arrows at all of them! They were getting on her nerves now._

She had figured that it wasn't such a good idea to open her mind of all barriers as of yet, and was avoiding reading anyone's mind for now. Of course occasional thoughts kept on coming in, mainly concerning the fact that she was a human. _Open your eyes people! You live in a world WITH humans goddamn it!_

She was really annoyed with everyone, as she explained to Sango on their way back to their rooms.

Kagome stopped suddenly, startling Sango. As Sango opened her mouth, Kagome signaled for her to be quiet. Her gaze fell on a window, out of which a certain Ugly Bunny seemed to be peeking, looking at them. Upon realizing that he had been seen, he darted away.

Kagome looked after him, but decided that pursuit would be useless.

Sango had also seen him, and started, "Isn't that the same time of hideous rabbit, like Sesshomaru killed?"

Kagome nodded, fuming. _Someone was following them. Trying to make their lives hell. She was going to kill that person._

"Don't you understand? Someone is following us, the same one who made our body switch happen! Ohh...That person is going to wish he never saw us, once I'm through with him!"

0000000000000000000000000000

Ugly Bunny scurried away. He did not want to go the same way as Obnoxiously Ugly Bunny, now did he?

As he ran through the gardens to a safe spot, he spotted Sesshomaru and a few of his officers coming his way.

_Oh crap!_ Naraku cursed through the rabbit's eyes. _He hadn't got one chance to embarrass the both of them, the enemies he felt were the most threatening to him. We need time to hide! Ok, bunny, do the body swap, anything to buy us time. _The rabbit stood in the middle of distance of the two, chanted a verse and went off to hide, for the swap had taken place.

0000000000000000000000000000

Sesshomaru experienced a falling sensation and swayed slightly in the company of a few of his officers.

Kagome fared worse. She fell flat down, a very worried Sango behind her.

Kagome opened her eyes to be a demon again. _Damn!_ She cursed. _I must be in Sesshomaru's body again! Oh no! He was with his officers! How the hell am I going to pull this off? Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap..._

_Why now?_ She wailed in her mind. _Wait! Maybe she should try to locate sesshomaru using her powers_...she was interrupted by a very loud thought.

_ACT AS IF ME, MIKO!_

She snapped to attention. Luckily not one of Sesshomaru's officers had noticed her acting a bit out of character, as they were happily chatting among themselves, but if she wanted to respond to any possible upcoming questions, she'd better listen.

_They were discussing politics. How boring!_ She thought.

Suddenly a voice squirmed in her mind, past in her barrier.

_Listen miko!_ It called.

_I am sitting not too far from you, and can see and hear you perfectly. Act like me, and answer what I say to you if someone asks you a question._

_I will not take lightly to have you squealing over a butterfly in my body, and you WILL regret it. And yes, that was a threat._

Kagome fumed_. Not fair! He got his reputation saved but what about hers?_

_Ok..scratch that.. she didn't have a reputation, she generally followed her heart in all matters...but still didn't mean he could order her around! she had already been nice to him already, and avoided 'fluffy'ing him in his castle. Stupid arrogant sesshomaru!_ She thought.

_You know I can hear you miko?_

_Damn! Oh well, then you saw my side of the argument._

_There is no argument about it! You will act like I tell you to in my body, especially in my castle, or else I will be forced to get the message across in another way._

_Hmph!_

She began listening to the droning conversation.

_Politics...blah...more politics...blah..blah..how do stand this stuff?_

Sikb raised an eyebrow. He was sitting directly across her, pretending to read a book.

_I am a lord. You seem to forget that, wench._

_I have a name, you know that?_

_Hhmm...Wasn't it something like Inuyasha's wench? That's the only name I could remember of you._

_My, my, not terribly bright with names are we? Or any other way for that matter!_

_You've known me for this long, plus spent the last few days with us and you don't know my name. Bah!_

_Humans are beneath my notice._

_Stupid attitude...stupid sesshomaru..stupid castle...stupid body switch...stupid mind reading ability..stupid everything!_

_Including yourself?_

_SHUT UP! Even listening to this politics argument would be better then listening to you!_

He crossed his arms_. Fine I'd like to see you try._

_I will!_

With that, Kagome began to try to listen to the unfolding argument. Before long, though, her eyelids began to close.

_YOU! MIKO, DONT YOU FALL ASLEEP ON ME!_

She jumped two feet in the air at this loud thought. The other officers stared.

Trying to sound like Sesshomaru, she said, "Excuse me for moment please, gentlemen." and got up. As she walked right by her own body, she heard the confused thoughts of the officers behind her.

_Since when did Sesshomaru-sama say please?_

_Is he alright?_

_I think he's going soft or something!_

_Wait...come to think of it, why did he call us gentlemen?_

_We aren't men if he bothered to notice! We are demons!_

Hearing this, Kisb sniggered. _Wipe that smile off my face, miko!_

_Oh god! You and your reputation!_

_Yes me and my reputation! Now stop smiling goofily. It is the most unflattering._

Now out of sight of sesshomaru's officers, Kagome grinned harder.

_Stop that this moment, Kagome, or I shall be forced to Fluffy you, or come after you._

_Do it all you want! Your reputation's the one who will be taking a beating!_

_Oh wow! You said my name! _

_Yes I did! Now clear your-MY face of that degrading smile. It looks like I've spending too much time around Rin._

At this Kagome laughed openly for a moment, but recovered and became sober.

Looking back around the corner, she caught sight of his tail.

Her face brightened.

Sikb's face darkened.

_Oh my god!_ She squealed with happiness, in her mind.

_OH HELL NO!_ Sikb almost yelled out. He wasn't even making an effort to look like he was reading a book.

She gingerly raised her hand.

_NO! MIKO! GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!_

She smirked, and was about to pet it, when he stood up and hurriedly walked over to where his body stood.

_I will force you to stop that kagome!_

_Oh? _She raised her eyebrow_. What will that look like? A miko come up, ad grab the Great Sesshomaru's hand, and they both walk off, singing? Life Jingle Lalaa?_

_Damn you!_ He cursed. _How about we call a truce for today?_

_What's in it for me? _She thought.

_Hm...I won't kill you when I get back?_

_You won't anyway! Sesshomaru, why do you act so cold? You just saved me brain damage, back in my room, and then threaten to kill me? Do you really think I'd believe that threat?_

_So, you think I should have just left you like that?_ He asked quizzically.

_No, I think you aren't a bad person inside, so you should stop trying to act like one!_

He growled. _You know nothing miko. Now, come. We are going to wait this switch out talking to Sorai._

She came without hesitation.

0000000000000000000000000

Funny chapter, next will have a big surprise!

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

There!

That should be visible!


	20. Chapter 20

Naraku's mind games

**Naraku's mind games**

**Sorai pt.2**

Sikb walked behind her, giving her mental instructions on where to find Sorai.

As they finally reached their destination, picking up Inuyasha on the way, (kouga was with his friends here. He was a prince too, and had acquaintances) they found themselves in a room that was purely yellow.

Kagome wowed it as she walked in. It was like they had stepped into the sun. Everything was a bright yellow, from the walls, to the floor, and the furniture. In the middle of the room, on a rocking chair, was a, quite good looking, young dragon demon lady, dressed in (ironically) a yellow kimono, with a headband tied around her hair, in a Pocahontas manner.

She got up as she saw Sesshomaru (or his body anyways) enter the room. "good to see you, Sesshomaru-sama!" she bowed civilly to Kagome (or her body anyway) and shook Inuyasha's hand.

"Still haven't got rid of the wench, have you Sesshomaru?", he muttered by Sikb's ear. "I still think you have taken a liking to her..."

"Don't force me to dispose of you in this body" sikb growled back. "Your pride will take a beating, if you were knocked out by your woman, that too a human, now wouldn't it?"

Inuyasha went red and muttered. "She is not mine..."

Sikb turned his head with a disgusted look and proceeded to tell Sorai what had happened, everything except the mind reading, and the necklace, swearing her to secrecy.

She was surprisingly fast to catch on. She immediately, and giving Kisb a disgusted look, got up and sat by sikb.

Inuyasha immediately raised his eyebrows. Kisb caught on what had run through his mind.

_Hehe...amazing someone would like and want to sit by sesshomaru...I have to annoy him more about Sorai... and the time she sent him flowers...the emotion couldn't have disappeared altogether?!_

Sesshomaru read Inuyasha's thoughts too, and growled. He thought_, I WAS HALF DEAD FROM A DUEL! GOD!_

Kisb could barely control her giggles_. So, even the great sesshomaru had an admirer? (not like Rin)_

_That is so cute!_

Sesshomaru sent her a message. _GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER MIKO, OR ELSE!_

_Or else what?_

_YOU WILL REGET IT!_

_Empty threat._ She yawned.

_I DETEST YOU!_

_Means nothing...and awww..your coloring!_ She knew perfectly it was trying to suppress the rage he felt, but enjoyed getting under his skin nonetheless. She surveyed Sorai sitting by her body, and apparently examining the minion sesshomaru had killed a few days ago in Kaede's village. She was young, and good looking, with an 'dragon demon' emblem of markings on her neck, with short hair, and a haughty expression. She thought, I bet if you cover up the neck, she could pass for a human!

Sikb went back to showing her the bonded minion he had killed.

Suddenly Inuyasha got a very evil smile. Kagome didn't notice his thoughts because she too busy was listening to the conversation between Sorai and Sikb.

He jumped up all of a sudden, his hair flying up for a moment. In the moment in which everyone was startled, he yelled "BUNNY RABBIT!", pointing at the minion, and cracked up.

"What the?" escaped both Sorai and sikb.

Kagome was concerned, and kneeled over where he was laughing on the ground. "Inuyasha? Are you alright?" she asked worriedly, trying not to giggle like him.

Sikb surveyed them both and rolled his eyes. "Forgive my brother, he is a bit...disturbed."

She too regained her normal expression a she put one hand one sikb's shoulder. "I understand."

Kagome was trying to read her mind at this point. She giggled out loud when she heard Sorai whining_, No fair! Why couldn't he have been in his normal body right now? Then I could have put my hand on his fluffy boa thing!_

Then Inuyasha's thoughts came through. _Bingo! Yes! I know she would do that! Act sympathetic and put her hand on his shoulder! Another thing to add to the profile to things I can tease sesshomaru about! Mission accomplished!_

Kagome was surprised. She didn't realize that Inuyasha could be so smart! _But , then again...maybe it was only when he was trying to degrade his brother..._

Sesshomaru was silent as Inuyasha got up off the ground and slide back in his seat.

"So you think that who ever is doing this is constantly following us?" he did not mention the details of where and how they had gotten switched before.

"Indeed. Have you not noticed another minion around you?" Sorai asked Sikb.

Kisb spoke up, "Actually, I saw a rabbit not unlike this one peering out of the window at lunch time today. As soon as it noticed me looking at it , it ran away, and did the switch, it seems, to buy it more time to hide."

Sorai looked thoughtful. "The master of the bonded minion can look through the minion's eyes, control it using an item of importance to the minion, and even if necessary, take the life and soul of the minion if the master himself has been killed."

Kisb gasped. "You mean they are just like extra lives? That the master can not die, and stays in his own body until all his minions are dead before him?"

Sorai replied. "Essentially, yes."

Inuyasha was listening and said, "Then who ever we are up against could have thousands of back up lives at his disposal?"

Sorai responded, "No, I do not believe that anyone would be as so cruel to bond that many slaves in his service, for it is a very gruesome procedure I do not want to discuss. I also do not think it possible for anyone to have more then a few bonded minions at once due to the rules of the spell cast to bond them like this."

Sikb sat thought silently in thought. _Why would anyone to torture his pride? Who did he a blood feud against? Only one thought came to his mind. _

_Naraku. _He thought, not bothering to stop Kagome from reading his mind.

She gasped. _No, it surely couldn't be... if it is then...why? Wouldn't have Naraku killed them outright, as soon as he got the chance? No it couldn't be. It was probably just someone with a grudge against the two brothers...or a plot to get the Shikon jewel,_ Kisb absentmindedly felt where it should have been and jumped two feet in the air when she saw it wasn't there. That is of course before remembering that she had switched bodies with Sesshomaru. Then she smiled sheepishly.

Sikb narrowed his eyes on her. _Don't you dare jump like that in company, in my body!_

Sorai was explaining, "Whoever had done this, obviously knew you both, and choose you because you were the most diverse choices. See, demon, human, male, female, miko, dog demon lord, you get my meaning." She continued in her mind, _handsome, and just plain...fluffy tail, no fluffy tail, one is dead attractive, impressive, stunning, striking, beautiful, on and on.. and the other..Well..Sesshomaru could outdo anyone!_

Kagome read this thought, while Sorai stared into space, and couldn't control her self. She giggled at first, then it turned into full laughter. She couldn't stop! _This lady had a serious crush on sesshomaru! And she called him beautiful. OH MY DEAR GOD!_

Sikb had also read the thought, but did nothing but slide his hand through the raven black hair. Inuyasha looked at her as if she were crazy. She kept on giggling until sikb's eyes locked on her. _Stop laughing!_

_What? Does SORAI mind? Who knew you would care about what she thinks so much!_

Sikb growled. Kisb just went right on laughing. Sikb gave her a death glare. Kisb tried to stop but couldn't. Inuyasha looked at the both of them as if they both were mad. Sorai was still staring into space. Kisb excused herself from the room, shattering Sorai's day dreams, and pulled Inuyasha into the hallway.

"Inuyasha..." she began. "Since when have you known about Sorai?"

"What? You heard me when I was whispering to Sesshomaru?"

"Um..Yeah...now tell me!"

He began Sesshomaru's tale (no pun intended).

"This Sorai, she has been Sesshomaru's advisor since I was living in the castle. I always teased him about her, 'cause he handpicked her out of an entire group of applicants for the job; and because she always seemed to act nicer when in sesshomaru's company, but she was probably just sucking up to power, you know?

Then I wake up one morning, and I find a bouquet of flowers outside his door, with a letter signed from Sorai when he was recovering from a very bloody duel with someone. Now, probably, it was meant as a get well sign from the employee to the employer, but obviously, I held on to the point." He looked giddy with happiness at being able to recount the embarrassing tale.

After listening to the entire story, Kagome said, "Inuyasha, you have no idea how much black mailing we can do with this story!" she finished the sentence in her mind_. Especially since now, sesshomaru and I both know the actual story, and it is surprisingly like Inuyasha's version!_

_Oh yes! Sesshomaru, you are going to pay for everything! PAY!_

And for some reason, which Sorai couldn't figure out, Kisb suddenly gained a pained expression on his face.

0000000000000000000000000

Next chapter will so fun!

R&R!


	21. Chapter 21

Naraku's mind games

**Naraku's mind games**

**Scruffy?!**

Kagome was giddy. High, almost. Hyper you might say. Like Souta on sugar. She couldn't stop giggling; and no one but Inuyasha had the faintest idea why. Her face was split into a wide mischievous, childish grin, and her eyes tinkled with delight.

_Sesshomaru was going to pay. For everything. Every single thing! Every time he had embarrassed her, made Miroku-ish jokes about her and Inuyasha._

She grinned again. _Oh yes, he was going to get it now._

All night, she had been sitting awake, by the window, feeling the cool night air on her face, as she thought of ways to perfect her plan. It was almost morning now, and she had taken a nap, dreaming of (she had NO idea where it came from) her and Inuyasha dropping water balloons on him from the roof. She woke up smiling, ready to begin a new day.

_Her plan was not complicated at all. It was simple slow torture, the kind he had used on her. Being persistent and annoying him little by little would earn her marks; and ensure her plan to work._

_And Sorai had made it all possible._ She gave a wide smile to a certain dragon demon lady sitting across her at breakfast.

Sesshomaru, of course, was sitting with Rin at the royalty table, they all sitting right next to it, at the place reserved for guests.

She had Inuyasha sitting by her, and used his voluminous haori to hide her face when Sorai thought something very amusing. Which she did often, so it wouldn't be incorrect to say that she constantly had her face buried in his haori to hide her laughter. He gave her a few funny looks in the beginning, but then realized she was using him as cover, for god knows what, but let her anyways.

If only Miroku knew why she was doing that...but then, even if he knew, he probably still wouldn't stop giving Inuyasha amused stares.

Sorai was eating ravenously. She was quite hungry, but that didn't stop her continuous stream of thoughts which a certain miko read and laughed under cover over.

They started something like:-

_Sesshomaru's tail is looking particularity scruffy today...perhaps it had something to do with that girl...she probably ruined it something...poor Sesshomaru! I would hate to have to endure a human girl switching into my body all the time...I wonder why he even puts up with that girl and his brother._

_His brother was bad enough, but he was a blood relation and would have to be endured, but the girl...?_

_Oh wait!_

_Maybe Inuyasha and the girl were mates!_

_That would explain why he treated her like... civilly... 'cause Inuyasha would hate him!_

Kagome groaned. _Why must everyone get the wrong idea? Speaking of wrong ideas, she would have to go and clear up the misconception that kouga was spreading that she was his woman._

_Why couldn't anyone just let her be?_

_I wonder why sesshomaru put on extra eyeliner today?_

That caught her off surprise. She blinked. _He did? She didn't notice that._

Just as everyone was clearing away from breakfast, Kagome went and sat on Rin's newly emptied seat.

She sent a mental message to him, once she was there.

_So, were you using your mind reading ability yesterday in that yellow room?_

He groaned. _Stupid miko. Stupid Inuyasha for giving her the idea and telling her the story._

_What story?_ She asked innocently.

_Stop disturbing me miko._

_You know you cant shake me off, unless I get an answer._

_Yes, you tend to be a damn annoying wench all the time who refuses to let anyone live in peace._

_Peace? This is not about peace. This is about revenge, which we all know can be sweeter then a strawberry topped cake._

_Great. More of her modern gibberish._

Inuyasha was looking strangely at them. He would too, because his brother and Kagome were sitting right next to each other, looking each other in the eye, yet not talking. _What they hell could they be doing just staring at each other?_

_This conversation has ended._

_Has not._

_Has too._

_Has not!_ Kagome giggled. _If Inuyasha could hear them now, he'd probably think they'd both lost their minds._

_Look! I spared you from getting Fluffly'd inside the castle, although you deserved it more then once, that is up till now. If you don't start answering all my questions, you and Inuyasha are both going to get subdued for every time you deserved it! _

She closed her mind off from Sesshomaru. _That was empty threat; at least as far as Inuyasha went. He had been surprisingly mature ever since they came to the castle; or most of the time anyways; and she didn't want to break his record._

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. _You are threatening me with Inuyasha's pride; if he has any?_

_No, with yours! Hmm...she said_; mock thinking. _What would people say if I subdued both brothers? That they both had come under the same evil miko, who had them enslaved by her magic? The great sesshomaru enslaved?_

_At least you remembered the 'great' this time. _He thought grumpily_. She really had too much power over him with this damned necklace._

_Don't get used to it. And I know. Maybe that's the reason I use them in the first place?_

_Stupid miko._

_Maybe smart and evil would really be better adjectives here._

_Why are you still sitting here?_

_Hmm? Oh! I wanted to ask you, how long have you known Sorai?_

_Damn miko._

_I heard that._

Sesshomaru thought sarcastically, _hurray! You heard it! Now we jump for joy?_

_No, you give the answer to my question._

_What if Ii don't?_

_I'll fluffy-sama you out loud with everyone hearing, so much that you wont be able to even think about moving for a week! Even ask Inuyasha! I am pretty sure he doesn't want to repeat the experience._

_After blocking his mind, he thought, He almost felt sorry for Inuyasha. The poor boy. He had to endure a witch like this with him all the time. But he wasn't going to give up arguing so easily._

_What is I just block my mind and walk away?_

_You get fluffy'd until you're permanently invalid._

_Damn woman! Do you only have one threat and only one attack method?_

_No, just ask Miroku! I certainly don't sit him! No hurry up and answer my question, or you reputation gets it._

Sesshomaru sighed. The miko and her dramatics.

Then glared with his most intimidating glare. The one that made people cringe.

She glared back and opened her mouth.

He replied quickly. _She is my chief advisor, I have known her for more then hundred years._

_Like don't you people feel old or anything?_

_He growled. Change the topic miko._

_I have a name, use it._

_Why do I have you call you in the first place?_

_Ok...ignoring that question and moving on... why did she send you flowers? I want to know two things. One, how come she sent you flowers when you hate them and she probably knows that, and two, how come she sent them when she knew you are an emotionless idiot and is incapable of felling love?_

_I don't hate flowers; they are simply beneath my notice._

_And two?_

_I am emotionless and heartless. And she did not intend to have her get well soon gift turned into an accusation. There. I summed it all up for you. She sent when I had returned from a very bloody duel as a sign of respect._

_Yeah right!_ She scoffed.

_Finally you get my meaning. YES, I AM RIGHT. _

_Does Rin know about this?_

_She does not care for my business affairs._

_Ok, if your duel was __**that**__ bloody, then did anyone else send you flowers?_

_Yes._ But he had covered up the first thought too late and Kagome caught on.

_NO? Ok, so that just proves that it wasn't a sign if respect. _ She sighed. _Weren't you reading her mind yesterday in the room?_

_I can not help it if i am._...he smirked_...or I come form one of the best looking lines you youkai blood, although i have no idea where Inuyasha came from._

_Haha! So funny.._.she thought sarcastically. _Boy you are really are stuck up, you know that? I don't know what she sees in you?_

_Lets see.. maybe her EMPLOYER?!_

_And you can't do anything about my pride miko. You already gave me the damn rosary._

_I don't see you stopping me._

_You won't see it coming till I slit your throat you stupid wench!_

_Empty threat._

_Don't you get affected by insults and taunts?_

_No, I hate them; but it depend on who they are coming from. You, your harmless. Couldn't kill a fly. _Catching sight of his expression, she thought, _Ok...so maybe you can...but you're harmless all the same._

_Harmless? I could kill you with a flick of my finger._

_But you don't. Means you're harmless._

_So I should?_

_What did I tell you before about trying to act deadly?_

_I wasn't listening. I was too busy cursing my mind reading ability; the entire reason we are having this pleasant chat._

_Oh! Good. At least someone thinks it's pleasant._

_Don't you know sarcasm?_

_Don't press the point. Ok, so what did you do when you got the flowers?_

_Why must this conversation lead to flowers or Sorai: both of whom I don't like that much and are beneath my notice._

_Sorai is beneath your notice? Oh boy, is she going to heartbroken._

_Why would I care?_

_Because I can go and tell her._

His eyes flashed red. _No! You will do no such thing!_

_Hit a nerve, did I?_

_By the way, why did you put on extra eyeliner today?_

_Huh?_

That caught him off guard. _Who said I put on eyeliner?_ He asked dangerously.

_Sorai. She was wondering._

_Why must this conversation lead to Sorai again and again?_

_What? Don't like calling her Sorai? Then what do you call her? Honey, darling?_

_For some reason that idea seems particularity amusing to me. Scratch that, down right roll-on-the-ground-hilarious._

_I call her advisor. __**AD! VI! SOR!**__ Understand?_

_Yeah...yeah! Sure you do! Oh and she was thinking your tail is scruffy today._

His eyes widened in shock for a moment. _SCRUFFY? My tail is not scruffy! My tail is anything BUT scruffy!_

_She thinks it is._

_Damn her, and you!_

_Face it Sesshomaru; YOUR TAIL IS SCRUFFY!_

Even though she privately thought the exact opposite; she couldn't help banging into this hidden nerve again and again.

It was just so much FUN to get under Sesshomaru's skin. She couldn't stop herself from doing it again.

She thought casually. _So I wonder, when are you going to gat married?_

He gagged. And then spluttered in his mind_...WHAT? WHAT DID YOU JUST ASK ME?_ He was outraged! How dare a mere human; or anyone else for that matter, ask him a question like that?

_I should have killed you the first time we met_. He thought, grinding his teeth.

_You tried, remember?_

_And damn tetsuiga for saving you!_

_You aren't answering my question!_

_I am not going to! I have things like ruling a domain; maybe, to manage!_

_So your going to spend your life a bachelor? Without a family?_

_As much as I hate to admit it; Inuyasha is my family...and seems you aren't far off._

_What? Where did I come in your family tree from? _

_Through Inuyasha._ He smirked.

_Oh no you don't! Don't you dare try to change the direction of the tide!_

_What has the tide to do with anything of this?_

_Never mind. Now tell me the answer to my question!_

_NOW! _She was getting tired with all this mental arguing. Either it made you tired; or sesshomaru was exasperating.

_If you must know; then Rin is my daughter; and quite enough family for me._

_Awww...that's so cute!_

_Shut up right now._ If there's one thing he couldn't stand, it was people cooing over him. He had hated it even when little; and his mother used to coo over him. He shuddered (not visibly) at the thought.

They sat in silence...well they were before too, but anyway...

_You know what? I am tired of all this mental argument. I think I'll go and see what Sango is up to._ (or the authoress is tired of writing this argument)

_Thank GOD! Now go away already!_

He sat there, fuming. _He hated that miko right now. Pure HATE. The best thing to do right now was to add on to his list of ways to kill her._

He walked off, simmering, into his bedroom; to do just that.

0000000000000000000000000000

Review plz!


	22. Chapter 22

Naraku's mind games

**Naraku's mind games**

**Ugly Bunny**

The group was sitting together for once in the castle's guest's common room.

Out of nowhere, Kagome suddenly asked; "How is it that ever since we have come to Sesshomaru's castle, I only see all of you at meal times?"

Sango replied immediately. "That's because you seem to find some kind of pleasure with ditching us and running with Sesshomaru all the time, no offence Inuyasha and Kouga, we all just got busy in our own stuff."

"Like?" she inquired. "And I have not been going anywhere on purpose. The stupid body switch has been happening again and again; so it hasn't really been my fault."

"Well, I have been having a lot of fun!" Sango said happily. "All the demons out there looked down on us before; but ever since they found out that I was the best slayer in the village; they cringe when I come in sight!" _They are so scared. I almost feel sorry for them!_

Inuyasha laughed. "So you have literally been going around scaring the crap out of them? I didn't think you were that mean! I didn't think they'd care!" _There are a lot of things I didn't think..._

"Well, most of them... the more powerful ones aren't scared... just a bit annoyed probably to have a slayer in their midst." Sango admitted truthfully.

"So all the lower level youkai are scared of you?" Miroku asked. "How could anyone be scared of Sango?...Even when she's about to knock you out, she still so beautiful!"

"Idiot!" Sango hit him across the head.

_He compliments me too much!_

"Yep!" she replied happily to the others. "Just look!" She stuck her head out of the window facing the most occupied part of the garden and stared at one of the youkai sitting on the grass.

He got up immediately and walked away nervously.

Sango closed the window to try and hide Inuyasha's crazy laughter and cat calls.

Sango glared at him. "I wonder why YOU aren't afraid of me?"

Kagome intervened. "Skip that point!" she said quickly.

"Ok, so what have you been up to Miroku?" _ahh... you have no idea of the-_

Then she caught the look in miroku's eyes of being in sheer bliss as well as read his thoughts a bit. "we don't need to know!" she screeched just as he opened his mouth.

"Dang!" he cursed under his breath_. I wanted to show Inuyasha and kouga how pleasurable that can be!_

_What? _Kagome thought_. Being a pervert? That baka_!

Shippo interrupted her thoughts as he said "I play with Rin all day! We have so much fun annoying Jaken! Yesterday, we even poured an entire bottle of flower essence on him. He's still taking a bath...Rin thinks that its the first time he took a bath since he was born; so we're actually doing him some good!"

Everyone burst out laughing.

_Who knew Rin could be so evil?_ Kagome thought; smiling.

"I go around and meet my old acquaintances!" Kouga piped up.

_And invite them to our wedding, Kagome!_

At this Kagome gagged. She coughed; chocked; and then spluttered. _What!?_ She gave him an intimidating stare. He cowered in to a corner.

_What did I say? Why is she so mad at me?_

"Are you ok Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, immediately by her side.

"Fine!" she waved him off and asked, "so tell me; Inuyasha what have you been doing?"

"I'm the only one who isn't having fun around here! The best thing I can think of is how to get on sesshomaru's nerves! And I've already done that a million times; so I haven't really come up with new ideas. It's boring here!" Inuyasha replied; whining. _Really; I think I need a new technique..._

Kagome overheard a new thought; that seemed to be Sesshomaru's voice.

_I think you don't little brother. I still haven't gotten you back for the story you told your woman about Sorai! So what if she meant something beyond respect? Who cares?_

Kagome thought, _I do, you liar!_

Sesshomaru cursed. _Oh damn, shit, crap! Grrr...Why must you invade in my mind miko?_

Kagome laughed mentally (and yes, it is possible). _Oh, Sesshomaru; you are going to wish you were never born once I tell Inuyasha this piece of information!_

_Ggrrrrr...You wouldn't dare wench!_

_I would, Sesshy! _And she leaped to the door and opened it to find Sesshomaru standing in the hallway with another bounded minion; alive; and squirming; suspended from his hand.

"What the?!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"This is the reason I came here. If you want to know who the hell is having fun making your miko switch into my body then I suggest we leave for Sorai's room now." _And no jokes this time miko; I am serious_.

_Like fun you are!_

_I am not laughing; neither was I the one who was joking last time! I merely couldn't control myself from reading Sorai's thoughts and burst out laughing._

_Not my fault, I'm sure!_

_Nonetheless I do not want to hear you giggling and sending mental messages all the time about unimportant things._

_They are important to someone!_ She changed the topic quickly. _How come you thought that it might be Naraku behind this?_

He sighed. _I am unsure, but some part of me wants to go kill Naraku for this._

_You want to kill Naraku anyway!_

_That's beside the point. I do; but it's hard to explain; I sense the exact same feeling of being watched by him; as if I were in the woods; fighting his demons. Other people give me another sense of being watched you know..._

_So then it really is true? Naraku that bastard is now after our sanity and pride?_

_Number one; you do not have any sanity __**or**__ pride!_

_Number two; I may be mistaken because it is only a slight hunch; but then again my instinct had never failed me before..._

_Sesshomaru; do you really want to start that argument again?_

But before he had a chance to reply; Kouga tugged on her shoulder. Behind him Inuyasha also looked puzzled.

"Why are you just standing here and staring at Sesshomaru, Kagome?" he asked. _Oh no! I completely forgot where I was! Now they were going to suspect something; or just think I've gone mad. Great. Just what I needed. Get an entire pack of people; plus three demons; on my back!_

Sesshomaru smirked. _Make that four demons. I shall be allowing you to accompany me when I go to kill the idiot who has dared to tamper with my pride._

Kagome ignored that arrogant comment, and stepping out into the hallway, and asked. _Did you try and figure out why we mind reading powers now?_

_Ah yes. I have worked out a theory. Whatever someone did to us to make us become instruments in this petty magic; and the rosary you have kindly (he glared)_

_given to me must have had its effect on the body switch magic and therefore had side effects when you tried to subdue me at that distance from yourself. See; subduer; and one to be subdued and the two people who were performing body switches were the same. And it didn't help that I was being forced to lie on top of you and you said that degrading name then._

_Oh? Degrading now is it?_

They knocked and stepped in Sorai's room. Miroku, sango, shippo, and kouga; who had never been there before; looked around in awe. The rest simply stepped in. Sorai was in a small room adjoining this one and looked out when she sensed them enter.

She smiled softly when she saw Sesshomaru and welcomed them all to sit. Kagome thought_, Man, this woman is crazy about yellow!_ Today's kimono was baby yellow with large black flowers, still with that long black hair band like thing tied around her hair in a hair band style, the excess of it trailing down by her shoulder,

"So, Sorai, I take your name is, do you have any idea of how we can find out who is behind all this?" Miroku asked, in his calm cool voice; always the voice of the group.

_Though I do admit it has been amusing watching Sesshomaru and Kagome in the past few weeks..._

She sighed. "No, not that I can think of...except letting him go and tailing him..." _although that would be useless..._

Kagome leaned over and absentmindedly touched the cage that was close to her; which held the minion.

_Oh great! Now they've put me in a cage! Impudent idiots! Stupid! He was not some kind of... low level prisoner...ok he was a prisoner...but still...some respect please!_

_As if it hadn't been bad enough to be caught by Sesshomaru while he was walking along the garden...then hung upside down by him for like forever...then they put me in the goddamn cage!_

00000000000000000000000000000000

Find out what happens next time...until then review please!


	23. Chapter 23

Naraku's Mind Games

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**Ugly Bunny pt.2**

She paused when she heard the voice and then lifted her hand from the cage. The thoughts stopped immediately. _Where the heck was that coming from? It sounded like the minion was talking...no; she couldn't comprehend thoughts through bonds could she? I would have found out a lot sooner when he was spying..._ she asked Sorai abruptly, interrupting her previous answer. "Sorai; bonded minions have like a porthole through their minds to the master; right?"

"Yes; at least that's the theory...no bonded minion ever came up to us and told its life story...so we really don't know." She smiled wryly at this attempted humor.

"So...the master's thoughts are the minion's thoughts?"

"Yes. It is said that once bonded, the minion can hear the master through its thoughts and vice versa. The master can also use the minion's eyes. The minion is forced into a sick kind of obeyence to the master; they can not refuse. They can think; and give answers to the masters or anyone else they wish too; but can not think or do anything against their masters."

"But what kind of suicidal youkai would do that sort of thing?" cried Sango, horrified.

"Perhaps...if sincere with the master...or with the cause...or forced..." replied Miroku, chewing on his lip.

"Not only that; but it does not have to be a youkai that is the minion or the master. They could be human, animal, hanyou, or a combination of the two of them." Sorai supplied them with more information.

"Humans have done it too?" Sesshomaru asked. _Now there was one thing he didn't know...again all the advantage of keeping an advisor, especially one as knowledgeable as Sorai, whatever his brother may think._

"There have been...stories." Sorai looked thoroughly uncomfortable with this topic.

_I wonder if there is something to her uneasiness...other then how sick this all is._

_How could anyone be as so heartless as to force anyone or anything into a bond like this? It's just... gruesome...and depriving someone of their freedom...that can not be forgiven._ Kagome's eyes glinted with anger.

_I wonder why the miko suddenly asked that question... perhaps she sensed something...damn...her mind is blocked... I will ask her later...do not want to risk missing the conversation._

Sorai was talking. "As I already explained to Sesshomaru; a person simply cannot have more then a few more minions under him; unless with an exceptionally good mind. For when the master binds the minion; he... gives a part of his mind to the minion's body and soul. This is what allows him to live when his body or mind is destroyed. His part of mind returns with the soul of the minion; which it sucks out with it; and returns to the master's body. The soul is then molded by the master into his own."

Sango was dumbstruck. "How could anyone do any thing so...cruel...and just plain wrong_?!" Dying would be better then knowing you lived on the soul and misery of another! Is life really that precious? That you would be willing to take someone else's breath and soul for it? Surely no one with a conscious would even consider a bond like that! And I thought I knew evil._

Kagome totally agreed with Sango; and she could tell Sesshomaru was listening to Sango's thoughts too, by the movement of his eyes; darting back to Sango every time she said something which sounded superior to her previous thoughts.

Miroku bowed. "Thank you very much, for you most helpful time and information." _Not the bad sort...she even looks good!_

Kagome groaned. The pervert would stay a pervert, and this trait was probably more of a danger to his health then Naraku was.

Sorai replied. "My pleasure." _They are going? Thank goodness! I thought I'd let it slip...somehow...Sesshomaru is awfully good at reading people...another one of his traits!...all the same...I just hope it stays in the dark._

She ignored the part about sesshomaru but the latter part caught her curiosity. She raised her eyebrow. _It? What It?_

Across her; Sesshomaru's curiosity was also burning. _What was Sorai hiding? She still hid from him? I thought she had swore loyalty to me!_

_Loyalty. Not all her secrets...not that i think you'd like to hear them, 'cause most of them concern you!_ Kagome reminded him. Even in this grave moment of being sober; she couldn't help annoying him a bit. It was too much fun to be told.

Sesshomaru felt like banging his head on the wall. _WHAT WAS HER PROBLEM? Couldn't she just let them be in peace? Oh shit...did he just call him and Sorai a 'them'? Crud. Must remember not to do again. Especially when the stupid miko is ALWAYS INVADING MY PRIVACY!_

Kagome jumped a little at this sudden outburst. Sesshomaru smirked a bit at making her jump, and after saying farewell to Sorai; walked out on them.

Not before however; Kagome was to tell him about one very crucial point.

_Sesshomaru?_

_I am attentive._

_Back in Sorai's room... I touched the minion's cage and... it was like...I could hear the minion thinking; when before I couldn't. It was really ticked off at us putting it in a cage... I think I heard it's master's thoughts... Although there is no way of telling for sure...it could have been the minion..._

_Most unusual. Why did you not tell Sorai?_

_I would have to tell her about the mind reading ability; and i still deem it useful._

_Your choice then. I will not comment on your decision._

_But... do you have any idea why I was only able to hear the thoughts when I touched the cage?_

_I think... that perhaps... the minion's thoughts send out like waves; like all of ours do; but ours do not need a medium to travel on, and it's does. That would explain why you were only able to hear thoughts when you were touching a thing that was in direct contact with the minion itself. Also, perhaps they do not travel that far; so only direct contact works._

_That explains a lot... but is this just a theory or a fact?_

_Facts are theories with proof. I am not sure._

_How come then you didn't hear the minion's thoughts when you held the first and second minion that you've captured up till now._

He sighed._ The first one, I killed it immediately; and also I did not have this ability then._

_The second... I did hear __**something **__but I am not sure as to what._

_What was it like?_ Kagome asked curious. _How could he not have heard them? The minion's thoughts seemed loud and clear to me._

_At first it seemed silent...frozen in shock, most probably...then as I neared your wing, I heard a lot of vulgar swearing. I naturally thought Inuyasha was the culprit; so I went towards the room you all were currently in._

_What? So you didn't have intention of calling us to meet Sorai, or to share the news of you catching a minion?_

Sesshomaru did not reply.

_You cant handle everything by yourself, you know that? This concerned me; yet you only used the minion as a cover for finding out why Inuyasha was swearing so much?_

_And to make him stop._

_Somehow; I think Rin will be more unpleasant if she develops an attitude like you; then if she swears._

She was furious. Here she was, thinking he had changed, and here he stood, still refusing to stop being so arrogant.

_Sesshomaru you are a hard-headed, stubborn, arrogant, mulish, haughty, conceited, egotistical, BAKA!_

_He raised his eyebrow._

_I am not your news service._

_Ask for help once in a while will you? Or at least tell me something that concerns me instead of sneaking around in the dark trying to solve everything by yourself!_

She got an evil smile on her face. She had promised not to fluffy him in the castle; but she could do many other things here. She was not helpless without the rosary; and could and would do plenty. Somehow she doubted looking at him with big tearful eyes would evoke much emotion in him; like she did to her mother when she was being stubborn. He would probably laugh a evil smile and leave her to the dogs.

_That emotionless bastard!_

_Oh! It's alright sesshomaru. I understand. I don't blame you for wanting to resolve this alone. After all, it did mean that you had an excuse to visit Sorai with no one tagging along, now didn't it?_

_Impudent wench._ He replied to Kagome's thought and turned away to head off to bed.

This time Miroku tugged on her shoulder. "One would think that, you, Kagome-sama, are either very unconcerned today about everything in general, or tired, or day dreaming." _About me!_

Kagome groaned and kicked him in the shin. Wasn't Sango enough? Yep, the pervert would stay a damn pervert.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Ok; so crucial chapter, but hopefully I'll be able to have some fun soon.

Review please.

One last thing; from tomorrow my exams will start and i can only update on the weekends. But the good thing is that I have written chapters in advance so every time I update on a Friday it will be like a REALLY long chapter or like two or three.

I guess till later, bye!


	24. Chapter 24

Naraku's Mind Games

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**Sesshy? Halfway decent? Seriously? (confused)**

Kagome was watching Inuyasha carefully. He seemed to be acting moody all morning. This puzzled her; until she went out in the balcony after sunset and looked up at the sky, just beginning to darken.

_Oh no! The moon is gone! No wonder he was such a pill today!_

She thought. _I wonder why he was hiding... Sesshomaru probably __**does**__ know about his human span...but then again maybe he doesn't. In that case she would have to go and ask Inuyasha if he would be alright, and if Sesshomaru knew or not._

She walked sedately out of the guest wing and into the royal one; looking for Inuyasha's room. She always lost her way here. She had been to Inuyasha's room four times already, but still couldn't pin point the position of it until she found it wandering.

After drifting in circles or it seemed, for a few minutes, she came across the red and golden painted door which signified the entrance of Inuyasha's quarters were near.

She approached cautiously; and knocked, not wanting to annoy him. _There are plenty other things for him to be annoyed of, _she thought_. Except me._

She could hear him rummaging, so she knew he was there. "Inuyasha, open up, it's me, Kagome!" she called out again softly.

This time he came to the door, as if he had been avoiding it before. He hid awkwardly behind the door and hissed for her to come in quickly.

She came in, slightly confused, but then saw the reason of his hiding. "You're already human! Wait, don't you turn human after nightfall?"

He rose the curtain. "Night has already fallen."

_Whoops! I guess I must have spent a lot of time in the corridor._

"oh...ok then. I just came to ask will you be alright here? I mean are you sure no one will bother you?"

"I'll be fine as I feel I can be, a human."

"Inuyasha?" she asked tensely.

"What?" he replied, a little annoyed. _After all, he had done this before, hadn't he?_

"How long have you lived in this castle?

"'bout like since I was born to like a hundred years ago...why?" he sent her a questioning look.

"Um...does sesshomaru know? You know, about the whole you-turning-human-once-in-a-month?"

"Holy crap! You didn't tell him did you?!" he screeched grabbing kagome's shoulders and shaking her.

"Inuyasha...chill! No, I didn't. I just came here to see if you needed help keeping the ice prince off your back!"

"Oh!" he dropped her, and she fell on the bed.

After a moment she got up, and to break the silence, said, "I'm going to call Sango and Miroku. We'll have some fun that way."

"Feh!" was all the reply she got but walked out in the hallway.

A few minutes later she returned with Sango and Miroku. They walked right in Inuyasha's room, and plopped down on the bed.

"So...what do you suppose we do now?" Sango asked, clearly bored.

"You guys are supposed to be thinking of something to do; not just adding to the crowd of already bored people!" kagome cried, exasperated.

"Shhh!" kagome shushed Sango. She had heard something. Something that had sounded suspiciously like a certain demon lord.

She opened the door and strolled into Sesshomaru. The impact had made her fall over, right by his feet.

"Drat! Look what you did!" _Stupid Sesshomaru! What is he doing here anywhere?_

"You seem to forget that you are in my castle."

_Oh shit; she forgot to block her mind._

_He has to go NOW! Or Inuyasha will be really pissed at me._

Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow in curiosity. _Why was the miko standing like that; in front of Inuyasha's door, acting very...suspiciously?_

"i came to speak with Inuyasha." He replied to her thought, truthful.

"NO!" she almost screamed. "Hehe.. I mean...Inuyasha isn't in there!" she continued; lowering her tone, having suddenly realized that she was acting weird.

"I can smell him in that room." Sesshomaru was really curious by this time. _What was that wench trying to hide?_

_Damn demon senses!_ Kagome thoughts when she heard his last statement. As she was thinking up a retort to that, Sango had also come outside. She had heard Kagome falling and her screaming "no!" unceremoniously, so she decided to come outside to see what the commotion was about.

"I came to speak with Inuyasha." He repeated again.

Sango caught on. Kagome was trying to stop him from seeing Inuyasha human.

Saving Kagome, she replied, "Inuyasha cant see you right now...he is busy..."

_Go away Sesshomaru...oh please go away...go away.._

Kagome read her friend's thoughts. No! She thought. That will just make him suspicious!

And that was exactly what Sesshomaru was, after reading Sango's thought.

Kagome intervened before he could go through her mind even more.

"He's busy...um...sleeping!"

"I can hear no snoring. And yes, Inuyasha does snore. Besides, if he were sleeping, what were you two doing in his room?" Sesshomaru tried to cross his arms, but since he had only one arm; and it would looked pathetic, he just stood his ground. He was well aware that he was being stubborn, but didn't care. _What could Inuyasha being doing in there?_

Kagome groaned. _She should have seen that dirty comment coming. Sesshomaru, it seemed, had a very sick sense of humor. His brother, and bloodshed were the only the he seemed to find amusing._

_I am not bloodthirsty._

_Crap! I forgot to block my mind again didn't I?_ She looked hopelessly at Sesshomaru.

He gave a quick jerk of his head as reply.

Sango leaned on the doorframe, curious, and watching her the girl whom she treated as a younger sister and a very deadly demon lord staring at each other. They were standing barely two feet apart, and just looking at each other as if they didn't have to talk to get their meaning across.

This was getting boring. Maybe Kagome was having a staring contest with Sesshomaru, but it was long. She went back inside soundlessly. Neither of the two noticed her absence.

There was a conversation going on.

_Wench, get aside_. I came to speak with my brother.

Summing up her imagination, she started to spin up a tale to which Sesshomaru would not be able to contradict.

_He is in bed, sick, and sleeping. There! I told you the whole thing! _She thought privately,_ NOT!_

_Sick?_ Now Sesshomaru was starting to getting annoyed. He thought privately, _all he wanted was to tell his brother about the fact that one of the nobles had wanted to practice with him in the training room, and here he was, sick (according to the miko) and she wasn't letting him see him. Oh what a bother!_

_Um...you see...he drank too much sake... and is sick. Now you realize he wouldn't want you seeing him in that position now would he?_

_It is urgent._

_It can wait until morning._

_What was he doing drinking all that sake anyway? _He was mildly curious.

_Um... one of his frequent doses..._Kagome laughed nervously and thought privately. _Now Inuyasha was really going to kill her; but it was either this excuse or the fact that Inuyasha had like died or something. And she figured he would like it much worse if she told his dear brother he had died._

_I was not aware of the fact that my brother was an addict to sake._ He raised his eyebrows. This was getting quite interesting.

_He started...um...after he got off from the tree...um...in memory of Kikyo?_

Kagome coined a story that at least sounded reasonable.

_Kikyo? Was she not the maiden who had the Shikon jewel in her power?_

_Um...yeah... Inuyasha kindafellinlovewithher_... she finished the last part fast. She felt oddly strange telling him about Kikyo...like she was somehow betraying Inuyasha's secret.

She shook off the feeling and came back to reality just as Sesshomaru thought:-

_I didn't know Inuyasha would sink so low as to fake love with a priestess for the jewel. He truly is pathetic._

_No, he really did love her..._.she didn't know why she was talking on behalf of Kikyo.

Screw that! She thought. She sighed_. The point is that he can't see you now. So kindly leave._

_You are telling me to leave while you live off my hospitality?_

_You heard me._

He sighed. His wench was just as stubborn as Inuyasha himself. He pushed her aside gently with the back of his hand and walked in the room to see Inuyasha, human, sitting on the floor with Sango and Miroku.

They looked up apprehensively and Inuyasha looked scared. Yep, you heard right, he was scared of being found out by his brother. Sango, acting quickly, jumped on Inuyasha's lap, hiding his hair and head. "What the?" Inuyasha was startled, but realized that she was covering for him and stayed there.

Sango whispered back, "yes I know I'm not Kagome but you'll have to put up with for now!" Of course that shut him up.

Sesshomaru sighed. _Did they really think he was that slow that he didn't see Inuyasha? _He gave a questioning look to Sango, who smile back innocently. No wonder he didn't smell his brother being a human. There were three other humans in the room. And that's why Kagome wasn't letting him in.

He proceeded to talk to Inuyasha, not bringing up everything that had happened so far.

"Little brother, a noble requests your presence in the training room for practice shortly. Show up soon. And I would appreciate it if I could see your face."

Inuyasha sluggishly pushed Sango off him and stared at his brother, a little shamefacedly, but trying not to show it. Sesshomaru, to everyone's surprise, didn't look shocked at the least. He simply nodded and was about to walk out of the room when Inuyasha called out, "Sesshomaru! You knew?"

_Why isn't he insulting me for being human right now? A good thing, but still why?_

Sesshomaru walked back and hit Inuyasha over the top of the head.

"What was that for!" he yelled.

"For being dim witted. You lived with me since you were born; and you think just by hiding yourself from my sight; that too insufficiently; you can keep a secret like this? I could smell you every time you were human, Inuyasha, and have known since your birth. So get over it." He replied, his voice still emotionless.

He walked out. "Oh, and I will arrange for your training duel after tonight." He called over his fluffy thing.

Inuyasha and the others looked dumbstruck.

"I can't believe Im saying this; but it seems like...Sesshomaru can be halfway

decent sometimes!" Inuyasha said quietly; still very astonished.

Ok..thats another chapter...review please!

Real decent of sesshy not to say anything; don't you think?

i dont know why i am updating; i have an exam tomorrow...a difficult one...you can show your appreciation by reviewing! (looks hopeful)

Pretty please? I want feedback!


	25. Chapter 25

Naraku's Mind Games

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**I'M IN HEAVEN!**

"Finally!" breathed Kagome as she stood by the open window, leaning over her bed and her bag. She was almost done packing. It had taken her two hours to extract her belongings from her room and put them into her yellow bag.

She touched it affection; still remembering the day her mother got it for her frequent trips to the feudal era.

_Ok...scratch that... With the rate of times she went back home now; it would seem like the modern era was where she visited and the feudal where she lived._

They were finally going after Naraku now. Leaving tomorrow, with Sesshomaru, Sorai, and the minion at dawn. She sighed as she thought of leaving the castle; _she had grown to like it now, for sure she would miss the bed, her room, and hot food_.

_The great rush she could do without,_ she thought. _It was almost like... she hadn't tried opening her mind since she almost fainted that one time. Thank goodness, they were not going to be close to any city for sometime. Opening her mind would feel like stretching after a nap. It would feel good. She couldn't wait to leave._

_About leaving..._she thought... _I can't believe they all fell for it when Sesshomaru convinced them he had found out the master's identity by performing a secret ritual; a one he didn't even disclose to Sorai. I fell for it too..._

_Not that there was anything __**to**__ disclose...but still. _

**START OF FLASHBACK**

They were all sitting in Sorai's room; anxiously waiting for Sesshomaru to get out of the side room and tell them the results of the ritual he was going to perform in order to find out whose minion this was.

When he entered finally; they all looked at him apprehensively.

"Naraku." Was the only word he said; and Inuyasha jumped up looking outraged. "That bastard! Now he's toying with us? I'll show him that we aren't as pretty as we look when it comes to getting revenge."

Kouga also jumped up and said "I'll kill whoever tries to annoy my woman!" loudly.

Now, naturally they got into an argument as Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow and thought_, who said anyone of you is pretty?_

Kagome sniggered but then caught on and replied, _What? Not even Sorai? She's sitting here with us too; you know!_

Sesshomaru just rolled his eyes and ignored her.

Kagome however; just continued thinking messages. _So...why are you not telling us about the ritual you just preformed? Is it because you are really jealous and hoard information or is there another reason?_

He smirked slightly. _Guess again._

_Hm... is it because the ritual is Dark?_

_No. It is because there was no ritual whatsoever._

_Then how do you know its Naraku? And why did you lie to us?_

_While I was in there; I didn't just sit there. I read the minion's mind, unknowingly to him. I heard him think that he had to go back to Demon Glade to meet his master, so I thought that whoever it is, Naraku is probably the most likely option._

_So you're still not dead sure it's Naraku?_

_No. But if I tell them how I just dreamt of going to Demon Glade; wouldn't you think they would find it a bit strange?_

_So, you are not sure it's Naraku, but have a hunch, and just read the minion's mind to find the location of whoever we are going after? And you didn't want to tell about the mind reading ability; so you made up the story of the ritual thingy?_

_Glad to see that you have finally caught on. _He rolled his eyes.

By this time everybody had filed out of the room and were staring at them both, who were staring into space.

Kagome looked a bit sheepish as she exited the room; leaving Sesshomaru with Sorai.

Kagome thought, _have fun Sesshomaru!_ and winked at him as she left.

The last she thing she saw of him, he was looking around as to what she meant with that wink.

After she left, Sesshomaru figured that it was the dragon demon sitting in front of him that she meant. _I hate arrogant miko's who don't know when to shut up and stop peeking into private matters of others!_ He sent her a message, not really as angry as frustrated.

He didn't know if she got it or not; but he was not going to stand there finding out.

As a matter of fact, she had gotten the message but decided that perhaps he might be a bit too annoyed; and ignored him as she strolled in the hallway.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

000000000000000000000000000000000

At the crack of dawn, Kagome was awake in a flash. She slept lightly the whole night and sun's light had been enough to wake her up.

She went to take a bath; thinking sullenly_; I wonder how long it will be before I get another one...she really was going to miss living in comfort; even if it had been only for some time._

She ran into the great common-room-like-room with her bag to see that everyone was already awake and eating breakfast. _And she thought she had woken up early._

Sango exclaimed, "You're awake? Finally! I was just going to send Miroku to wake you up!"

Kagome looked at her, struck, unable to say anything, while Miroku looked extremely happy. "You were?" _Oh wow! Why did Kagome-sama wake up by herself? Not fair!_ He pouted.

Sango laughed and slapped Miroku over the head. "See? And then you say you're not a pervert!" _You idiot!_

Miroku looked crestfallen, while Kagome exclaimed, "Thank goodness. I thought that Sango had lost her mind; and was about to slap Miroku into unconsciousness."

"Don't worry. That was to wake you up."

"I'm already awake."

At this Sango put her head back and gave a very jovial laugh.

Kagome said sarcastically "Oh My! Looks like someone is in a hearty mood today!"

Inuyasha and Kouga, who were previously looking at them with interest, burst into laughter.

Sango smiled sheepishly "I guess...that...no offence Sesshomaru... I am kinda happy about getting out of this castle."

"What?" Inuyasha looked at her curiously. "I thought everyone was scared of you!"

"Scared?" Sesshomaru asked interested; but not showing it. _Why would they be scared? Ok...maybe she isn't the best looking human in the world, but isn't THAT hideous either!_

Kagome couldn't control her giggles at hearing what had gone on behind Sesshomaru's mind barrier. She gasped for air while laughing.

"That's what's annoying me! I go somewhere and next thing I know the place is empty, except for the human servants. AND the demon servants keep trying to over please me. It's starting to get on my nerves!" Sango complained.

"Oh, they are scared because I was the best slayer in my village!" she said factually to Sesshomaru, as answer to his inquiry.

"Wow! Sango! I didn't know you were longing demon company so much!" Kagome snickered. Catching sight of her humorous face, she said, "'cause if you are well, there are four demons accompanying you on the trip!"

"Three." Sesshomaru corrected.

Sango chose to ignore Kagome's comment but perked up immediately at what she realized.

"Two? So that means...Jaken isn't going?"

Sesshomaru shook his head, which produced chaos from the group.

Inuyasha and Kouga jumped up in the air, with their hand up, as if in a dance club yelling, "YES!" "AWESOME!" "HURRAH!"

Sango and Kagome fell down on their knees; as if sliding with a guitar and screamed, "SCORE!" "YES!" "NO JAKEN!!" "I'M IN HEAVEN!"

Now normally Sorai was a very calm person, and did not react so childishly to things. But here she could not control her self and said, (more like yelled), "WIKED!" with a huge smile on her face.

Shippo was the only one sitting with a frown on his face. "Oh no!" he pouted. "But I wanted to annoy Jaken alot in this trip! Not fair!"

Sesshomaru looked at them all with amusement dancing in eyes. When they had finally been able to have a little control over themselves, he remarked, "So I take it that my personal servant was not welcome?"

And they burst into laughter. (except Sesshomaru, who just smirked.)

A man had emerged from a room behind them and said "Do you want to wake up the entire castle!? Most normal people are TRYING to go to sleep!" catching sight of Sesshomaru; he quieted and went back to his room muttering.

They all looked wide eyed, except Sesshomaru of course, and then cracked up into to further peals of laughter on the man's retreating back.

As Sesshomaru looked at his to-be-travel-companions, he sighed.

_What have you gotten yourself into? Traveling with them! You'll be staving mad when you come back!_

_Hm...oh well. It's not like they won't be amusing at the least! _He smirked as he watched his brother and his friends try and fail miserably to pull themselves together; currently the majority of them rolling on the ground laughing, trying to put up with the pain of laughing too much, yet unable to stop.

He rolled his eyes. _Oh yes, at the least, this was to be very interesting._

After a sufficient amount of time for the ones who were actually eating, to finish eating (only Sesshomaru and Shippo), they all grabbed their things and made their way outside and stood out in garden waiting for who-knows-what to leave.

They were just about to depart when a figure of a small girl emerged from the castle and ran straight into and hugged Sesshomaru's legs. He was a bit taken a back, but when she smiled up at him a watery smile, he knelt down and whispered something into her ear, making her instantly cheery. Sesshomaru, not caring if he was being watched by people standing by him; just nodded towards Rin and she ran back by the main entrance. As they leaving; Kagome looked back to see Rin standing there, waving with all her might at Sesshomaru's back.

Then she saw something with melted her heart. Sesshomaru had looked over his shoulder, into Rin's eyes, and smiled a soft smile.

Although she could barely detect the smile that had flashed across Sesshomaru's face all of a sudden, Rin had seen it, and broke up into a wide grin until they went out of sight.

0000000000000000000000000

Is it just me or have my chapters increased in length lately?

Ok anyway... I really like this chapter because it has everything in it, and the Rin part in the end was just SO cute!

Okay...so...now you should obey the little button down there that says 'review!'

Thanks!

I just realized something. **THIS IS MY TWENTY FIFTH CHAPTER!** WOW! (brings out the piñata and balloons) this story is really stretching it self out; but I hope it will stay fun; cause I have it all planned. This will (hopefully) be one funny and long story.

Ok; so i have come up with a master plan. Everyone who reviews this chapter will have one page dedicated to them next Wednesday. So yes; that means however many of you review; that many pages I will put up! I have a LOT of pre written pages...I hope you all make me write more!

Oh yes; and to those very kind hearted, lovely, people who reviewed the last chapter, I am writing you now.

Airpeeps:- thanks you so much for reading my story, and I do believe that your review is the longest one i have gotten so far! Thanx again!

4-everDisturbed:- Thanx so much, and it's all right, you can keep your timetable, it was only until my exams are over( which they will be next Wednesday) then it's back to my normal routine. Thanx for reviewing on every chapter I have!

Inuaiko:- yep; he is. Weird thought, right? Thanxs for reviewing!

GeorgieGirl999:- ok; you asked for a new chapter; and you've got one! Thanxs for reviewing!

MeshiGohiku:- Thanxs, I'll try to fit it somewhere! Thank you again for reviewing!

Oh yes and I WILL reply to EVERY single review I get. Thank you! They really make my day!


	26. Chapter 26

Naraku's Mind Games

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**Bishounen Pt. 1**

_Sunny...sunny...hot...hot...sweaty...sweaty...tired...tired...sleepy...sleepy...hungry...hungry...legs feel dead...ARG!_ Kagome was, as she had been doing for the past hour singing her little song of misery. _God, why was Demon Glade so far off?_ Sesshomaru had said it was about a day and night of flying at his pace; meaning about five days of walking for them. She groaned again when she thought of how much walking they still had to do. They had only set out yesterday; and she could already feel her stamina losing. And to top off her list of woes; Ugly Bunny had escaped.

She ran over the points in her mind. _They all were busy here or there; setting up the campfire, or getting food, and Sorai was the last person who had confirmed seeing the minion in his cage. When they woke up in the morning, (no one had bothered to check at night), the cage door was wide open, as if he had somehow gotten his paws though the bars and had undone the simple bolt lock. That meant she should be expecting trips to Sesshomaru's body soon._

She was not relishing the fact at all that Sesshomaru had only let them rest once; that too when Inuyasha and Sango demanded it. He seemed to forget that he was one of the only two and a half demons in this group. Of course, Kouga had noticed her sluggish walking and offered to carry her; but she didn't want him to get the wrong idea (which she did even when he wasn't giving her piggy back rides), and so refused. Inuyasha was carrying her bag, and a few other things; mainly like two weeks supply of ramen...she still had no idea why he had wanted two weeks...they were only traveling for five days to get there, right?

She rolled her head back at t he sky, which was a violent pink and purple from the sun setting. _Why was I stupid enough to leave my bike at the village? Se had thought then that she wouldn't need it. Bah! Wouldn't need it!_ Right she would do anything to give her legs a break! Including pestering Sesshomaru; who was currently walking at the head of the group.

_Hey!_

_Problem miko?_ He thought coldly.

_No! Not at all, beside the fact that I am dead tired right now; and going to faint if you don't stop for the night!_

_Ask Inuyasha to carry you._

_He's carrying his supply of ramen and my bag._

_Kouga. He would well be willing to carry you. In fact I know of a certain wolf demon who has been inviting his colleges to your wedding._

_WHAT?! He actually did that?!_

_Well,duh!_

_When will that stupid wolf get the fact that...ARG! Im not going to ride on his back ESPECIALLY SINCE THE DAMN WOLF IS INVITING PEOPLE TO HIS FANTASY WEDDING!! THAT RETARD!_

_Stop thinking so loud miko._

_What?_ She teased. _Do i hurt your ears? She emitted a high pitched giggle, out loud. Oh, but I am not talking through your ears now am I?_

He growled. _Stop acting so...childish._

_Childish? I am not acting childishly! Who said I was acting childishly? How do they think I am acting childishly! Why do they think I am acting childishly? That is so wrong, I am not acting childishly! See? I am not acting childish, not childish, not childish, not childish..._

He groaned. _That stupid wench is going to drive me nuts pretty soon_. He was sure that he had ensured a major drop in intelligence after listening to her blabber.

They walked in silence for a while. (They were before too, but this time it is mental silence)

_Hey!_ Kagome called out to him to the umpteenth time today.

He groaned_. Why me?_ He shook his fist at the sky; which looked even pinker then before.

_That's it. I have had enough. You stop being so petty and we are going to stop this second. There is a nice place to the side._ She thought commandingly.

_We are going to stop once we have passed this long grass._

_The long grass will end in like another tree miles!_

_Then we shall walk another three miles._

_No! You stupid jerk! I refuse to walk further on this path until morning._ And she stomped about thirty feet or so to the side and sat down under a tree. Much to her dismay, Sesshomaru kept going.

_Come here, and let us rest for today._

_No._

She jumped up, rage in her eyes.

"_Fluffy, you insolent, arrogant, jerk! WE ARE STOPPING HERE NOW!!"_

The dog demon lord plunged down towards earth at the sound of his word.

Kagome meanwhile, continued her torture. "Fluffy-sama? Be a darling, will you, and come here, Fluffy! Oh Fluffy! Hurry up Fluffy! You're so slow Fluffy! Why are you lying on the ground Fluffy? I thought I told you to come here Fluffy? You're so lazy Fluffy! Hurry up, and help me light the fire, Fluffy! FLUFFY! I AM CALLING YOU FLUFFY! Respond when you are being called, Fluffy! Come on, Fluffy! Get up already Fluffy!"

Kouga, Miroku, and Sango just groaned when they heard Kagome's voice.

Inuyasha laughed like a maniac, while Sorai looked around as confused as hell.

Sango groaned again and ran over to Kagome to stop the continues flow of 'Fluffy' s so she didn't create a earthquake.

She heard her little sister say Fluffy close to fifteen times. She almost felt bad for Sesshomaru; but then; knowing him, he probably deserved it. At least Kagome had managed to 'convince' Sesshomaru to stop for the night.

She ran up to Kagome and clamped her hand over her sister's mouth. "Enough...have some pity will you?" she asked, looking at her in a questioning sort of way.

"Oh yeah..." she sounded like Sango had completely ruined her fun.

Sango looked at her friend. _Since when did kagome become so bloodthirsty?_

Kagome replied, "Oh it was basically pent up anger in the castle when I didn't fluffy him... so I am not bloodthirsty!"

Sango was startled. "Did I say that out loud?"

Kagome realized her mistake; but was able to cover it up, "Yeah...you were kinda mumbling.." her cheeks turned a little red at the thought of her lying to Sango.

_Oh well...it was for her own good._ She doubted Sango would like her pretend sister having mind reading abilities; and sharing it with Sesshomaru of all people...no matter that he had gotten them too.

Speaking of Sesshomaru; he was getting up, still graceful. Kagome sighed. _Next time she got mad at him, she would have to try and, make him ungraceful. God, even while plunging towards the earth, he looked graceful. What in heaven's name was wrong with that guy? Jeez, she was beginning to suspect that Inu-tashio's first wife was like the angel of gracefulness!_

_Oh crap! She had forgotten that Sorai was still here? Will Sorai still adore her graceful cute lord?_

_Ok...so maybe he wasn't cute by any means possible of thought...except what she had first thought of him..._

**START OF FLASHBACK**

And there she and Inuyasha staring as Sesshomaru stood on a huge monster with Jaken. And while Inuyasha had immediately noticed the puppet of Izaoi...she was still staring at Sesshomaru.

She was thinking somewhere along the line of_...OMG! That guy is so bishounen! And so...handsome! So much cuter then Hojo...I wonder what my friends would say to him...probably go crazy...and have major crushes...OH MY GOD...HE HAS A TAIL!_

**END FLASHBACK**

00000000000000000000000000000000000

Yes i know this was abrupt and short.. and it didn't really make sense but i keep my promises. I promised one extra page of lentgh to every reveiwer and i got three reviews, so hense three pages. It kinda makes me sad... the last chapter got around thirty views and three people reviewed...

Anyway...thanks to those who did review (below)...or even this much wouldent be up... i had fifty pages typed out...i only had to post three... (sniff)

Air peeps:- Caffeine eh? Isn't that saying alot...too much? Nothing can match coffee! ME LOVE COFFEE! Well, as you are seeing; your page is part of the story; the difference will be in the length. So sorry, but I such really bad at typing one page excerpts and very short stories; so instead of poisoning you all with my horrible fluff and writing; I'll just increase the length for each one of you. So please no one mind if they get a less happy or fun page then someone else. Oh yes; a keep writing long reviews; they are so much more fun to read!

4-ever disturbed:- yeah...thanx for the review, and believe me you have NO IDEA how uplifting even one of your guy's review's are. Thanx again!

MeshiGohiku:- Thanks for the review, and hehe you must have found out by now that the next review was today!

Plz pleople review and make me happy...

The rest of this very amusing chapter will be up a day later... (sniffs again)


	27. Chapter 27

Naraku's Mind Games

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**Bishounen pt1 and pt2**

_Sunny...sunny...hot...hot...sweaty...sweaty...tired...tired...sleepy...sleepy...hungry...hungry...legs feel dead...ARG!_ Kagome was, as she had been doing for the past hour singing her little song of misery. _God, why was Demon Glade so far off?_ Sesshomaru had said it was about a day and night of flying at his pace; meaning about five days of walking for them. She groaned again when she thought of how much walking they still had to do. They had only set out yesterday; and she could already feel her stamina losing. And to top off her list of woes; Ugly Bunny had escaped.

She ran over the points in her mind. _They all were busy here or there; setting up the campfire, or getting food, and Sorai was the last person who had confirmed seeing the minion in his cage. When they woke up in the morning, (no one had bothered to check at night), the cage door was wide open, as if he had somehow gotten his paws though the bars and had undone the simple bolt lock. That meant she should be expecting trips to Sesshomaru's body soon._

She was not relishing the fact at all that Sesshomaru had only let them rest once; that too when Inuyasha and Sango demanded it. He seemed to forget that he was one of the only two and a half demons in this group. Of course, Kouga had noticed her sluggish walking and offered to carry her; but she didn't want him to get the wrong idea (which she did even when he wasn't giving her piggy back rides), and so refused. Inuyasha was carrying her bag, and a few other things; mainly like two weeks supply of ramen...she still had no idea why he had wanted two weeks...they were only traveling for five days to get there, right?

She rolled her head back at t he sky, which was a violent pink and purple from the sun setting. _Why was I stupid enough to leave my bike at the village? Se had thought then that she wouldn't need it. Bah! Wouldn't need it!_ Right she would do anything to give her legs a break! Including pestering Sesshomaru; who was currently walking at the head of the group.

_Hey!_

_Problem miko?_ He thought coldly.

_No! Not at all, beside the fact that I am dead tired right now; and going to faint if you don't stop for the night!_

_Ask Inuyasha to carry you._

_He's carrying his supply of ramen and my bag._

_Kouga. He would well be willing to carry you. In fact I know of a certain wolf demon who has been inviting his colleges to your wedding._

_WHAT?! He actually did that?!_

_Well,duh!_

_When will that stupid wolf get the fact that...ARG! Im not going to ride on his back ESPECIALLY SINCE THE DAMN WOLF IS INVITING PEOPLE TO HIS FANTASY WEDDING!! THAT RETARD!_

_Stop thinking so loud miko._

_What?_ She teased. _Do i hurt your ears? She emitted a high pitched giggle, out loud. Oh, but I am not talking through your ears now am I?_

He growled. _Stop acting so...childish._

_Childish? I am not acting childishly! Who said I was acting childishly? How do they think I am acting childishly! Why do they think I am acting childishly? That is so wrong, I am not acting childishly! See? I am not acting childish, not childish, not childish, not childish..._

He groaned. _That stupid wench is going to drive me nuts pretty soon_. He was sure that he had ensured a major drop in intelligence after listening to her blabber.

They walked in silence for a while. (They were before too, but this time it is mental silence)

_Hey!_ Kagome called out to him to the umpteenth time today.

He groaned_. Why me?_ He shook his fist at the sky; which looked even pinker then before.

_That's it. I have had enough. You stop being so petty and we are going to stop this second. There is a nice place to the side._ She thought commandingly.

_We are going to stop once we have passed this long grass._

_The long grass will end in like another tree miles!_

_Then we shall walk another three miles._

_No! You stupid jerk! I refuse to walk further on this path until morning._ And she stomped about thirty feet or so to the side and sat down under a tree. Much to her dismay, Sesshomaru kept going.

_Come here, and let us rest for today._

_No._

She jumped up, rage in her eyes.

"_Fluffy, you insolent, arrogant, jerk! WE ARE STOPPING HERE NOW!!"_

The dog demon lord plunged down towards earth at the sound of his word.

Kagome meanwhile, continued her torture. "Fluffy-sama? Be a darling, will you, and come here, Fluffy! Oh Fluffy! Hurry up Fluffy! You're so slow Fluffy! Why are you lying on the ground Fluffy? I thought I told you to come here Fluffy? You're so lazy Fluffy! Hurry up, and help me light the fire, Fluffy! FLUFFY! I AM CALLING YOU FLUFFY! Respond when you are being called, Fluffy! Come on, Fluffy! Get up already Fluffy!"

Kouga, Miroku, and Sango just groaned when they heard Kagome's voice.

Inuyasha laughed like a maniac, while Sorai looked around as confused as hell.

Sango groaned again and ran over to Kagome to stop the continues flow of 'Fluffy' s so she didn't create a earthquake.

She heard her little sister say Fluffy close to fifteen times. She almost felt bad for Sesshomaru; but then; knowing him, he probably deserved it. At least Kagome had managed to 'convince' Sesshomaru to stop for the night.

She ran up to Kagome and clamped her hand over her sister's mouth. "Enough...have some pity will you?" she asked, looking at her in a questioning sort of way.

"Oh yeah..." she sounded like Sango had completely ruined her fun.

Sango looked at her friend. _Since when did kagome become so bloodthirsty?_

Kagome replied, "Oh it was basically pent up anger in the castle when I didn't fluffy him... so I am not bloodthirsty!"

Sango was startled. "Did I say that out loud?"

Kagome realized her mistake; but was able to cover it up, "Yeah...you were kinda mumbling.." her cheeks turned a little red at the thought of her lying to Sango.

_Oh well...it was for her own good._ She doubted Sango would like her pretend sister having mind reading abilities; and sharing it with Sesshomaru of all people...no matter that he had gotten them too.

Speaking of Sesshomaru; he was getting up, still graceful. Kagome sighed. _Next time she got mad at him, she would have to try and, make him ungraceful. God, even while plunging towards the earth, he looked graceful. What in heaven's name was wrong with that guy? Jeez, she was beginning to suspect that Inu-tashio's first wife was like the angel of gracefulness!_

_Oh crap! She had forgotten that Sorai was still here? Will Sorai still adore her graceful cute lord?_

_Ok...so maybe he wasn't cute by any means possible of thought...except what she had first thought of him..._

**START OF FLASHBACK**

And there she and Inuyasha staring as Sesshomaru stood on a huge monster with Jaken. And while Inuyasha had immediately noticed the puppet of Izaoi...she was still staring at Sesshomaru.

She was thinking somewhere along the line of_...OMG! That guy is so bishounen! And so...handsome! So much cuter then Hojo...I wonder what my friends would say to him...probably go crazy...and have major crushes...OH MY GOD...HE HAS A TAIL!_

**END FLASHBACK**

Of course after glancing and believing the illusion he had set up for them ; strong winds of doubt blew the little train of thought off track.

It made her chuckle now_...her gullible thoughts...they were actually quite hilarious now!_

_Hm... I wonder what Sesshomaru would say if she ever told him... He would probably kill her...if he didn't...then Sorai would._ She chuckled again.

Sango sat down, watching her friend chuckle at apparently nothing_. Kagome must be really tired. _She thought.

Kagome's eyes widened as she remembered one very important thing. _Sorai. Uh oh... Sorai...embarrass Sesshomaru in front of Sorai...she was his adviser...she was from his castle!_

She bit her nails as she remembered her promise not to subdue him in front of any of his castle members.

Wait...she was his advisor...only his advisor right? So he shouldn't care... after it's not like he wanted to impress her...right?? (wink) He could easily tell her to keep quiet about it and could spin up some long story about how he had saved her life; but then she did this to him...wait he didn't want GOOD heroics, now did he? OK...fine...she was like Naraku's slave...and he had to let her do something like this to keep her in his control...or whatever...

She grinned, as she waited for all of them to arrive at the place she had chosen for the night and lit the fire.

To her it was a win-win situation. Either admit he wanted to impress Sorai and she would fall down at his feet begging (pretending) for forgiveness. That would keep his deadly lord status, but make him admit he liked someone.

On the other hand, he could not admit that he cared for Sorai and keep his isolated-emotionless-iceberg act, and she would seem all evil; and had hoodwinked him, therefore shaking up his reputation as a person who would be very hard to cheat; and was deadly. Of course, that would make him look pathetic...but he could order Sorai to be quiet...still not the same respect though...

Both perfect! If it were they first case, then Kagome would beg (pretending) for his forgiveness, so he can impress Sorai even more, OR she would fluffy him over and over again, just to prove that she was evil. Oh heheheh...

She honestly didn't know which one he would pick...which reputation did he like better...his deadly one...or emotionless one...that was a toughie...

"What are you thinking?" Inuyasha asked her, looking quizzical.

"Listen up..." Kagome related all her plans to Inuyasha, leaving everything out that had related to mind reading, whose eyes widened at the sheer brilliance of her plan.

"I LOVE YOU KAGOME!" he screamed as he lay on the ground laughing himself silly.

She blushed a little. _Now if only it were not for catching his brother in a trap...Inuyasha could be so vengeful sometimes...cute...childish all the same._

_She'd bet that Shippo was acting more mature, back by the campfire. _

They had no time for trivial matters. She walked up to Sesshomaru and asked him to come to the side. He refused outright. Apparently he was really pissed off at the whole incident.

_If you don't come off that tree and with me, I am going to fluffy you till the tree breaks._

Sesshomaru groaned and mumbled some incoherent words.

"FLU-"

He was already down and giving her his best intimidating stare, the one identified as Sesshomaru's-cower-in-a-corner-or-die stare.

She smiled back a happy, wide, sugary smile.

_Honestly, this wench was mental...nothing affected her! God damn the person who introduced us! Wait...that would be Inuyasha...I think God will take too long...I'd better do it my self._

He darted over to Inuyasha and lifted him up with his neck. "Your wench is being annoying." He stated, growling.

"Not...mine...bastard..." Inuyasha could barely breathe.

"You insolent lying little... I heard just heard you scream, declaring your love for her, and now you expect me to believe you?"

"oh...that...you'll see why.." he smirked as he remembered the exact reason he had screamed that... here... there were less public places...in more appropriate times...to say something like that...right?

Kagome had caught up. She stood almost underneath Inuyasha and called out...stupidly...both Inuyasha's and his brother's words. "Sit, fluffy!" she called.

Stupid thing to do. When your almost standing under someone and you subdue them as well the person who was holding them there, there will be undesirable results. Namely, the aggressor falling on the person he was holding, who in turn would fall on the unlucky person under him.

And right now that unlucky person was Kagome. She gasped in sharp pain as the weight of two very heavy dog demon brothers fell on her. _Why did she land on the bottom...why was it always her? Duh, you're the one who subdues them!_

_Why was her mind arguing with her? STUPID!_

She felt so pathetic, and helpless, and hurt all over from the three tons of muscle being put on her. _Thank god, at the very least she had air_...she thought.

"GET OFF ME YOU RETARDS!" she hollered. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru both held their ears from the pain at the loud yelling.

"Quiet wench. It is your fault you are at the bottom. You being the impudent person stupid enough to subdue us, while standing directly below. Now quit whining and take it like a man."

"I'm not a man!" she replied rolling her eyes.

"oh..."

She was really aggravated now.

Only one thing could and would cheer her up. She gave Inuyasha an evil look so he understood. He caught on immediately.

She called him to ask him this oh so important question that concerned his reputation so she would ask it, no matter what kind if position she was in.

"Sesshomaru?"

"I thought I told you to stay quiet."

"You did, but I didn't care. Anything you're going to do about it?" Kagome stuck out her tongue.

Stupis thing to do. She resulted in almost swallowing a lock of Inuyasha's hair; and gagged while Sesshomaru smirked.

"Kagome, get my hair out of your mouth!"

"cough...splutter...gag...You think I'm not trying?!"

"Just wait till this spell wears off..." Sesshomaru said.

"Oh quit with the death threats already!" Inuyasha complained.

"Dear brother, I was not going to kill you...I was going to torture you and your wench."

They both shouted in union "I/she am/is **not** his/mine!"

Sesshomaru sighed and looked up at the sky; as much as he could manage anyway.

"Why must you constantly torture me with these idiots?!"

Inuyasha snickered. "He hates you."

Sesshomaru smirked back. "He will very soon hate you MUCH worse..."

Kagome sighed. "Ok, sesshomaru; I know that me fluffy'ing you-" "oh shit!" She had squished them even more into the ground.

"Stupid wench, keep your mouth closed!"

"AS I WAS SAYING, I subdued you in front of Sorai. I forgot she was there, but you really did deserve it. Now-" she got a twinkle in her eye "you can take two choices. You can either admit that you like her; and we will beg for your forgiveness in front of her; and she will not see another subduing of yours; OR you could let it stay this way and swear her to secrecy for telling anyone; and I will act as If I hoodwinked you into wearing the necklace, so a bit of your reputation would be saved.

If you choose not to tell us; then I will do both things; and you're reputation will live a miserable hell of a life.

So, before this charm wears off, you have to tell us; or else...well, you know the consequences." She completed with a smile.

Sesshomaru was quiet during the whole procedure. He hated the certain miko who was lying under him and his brother at his moment. So angry; that he couldn't even keep himself in check. But he took a few deep breaths and calmed himself down_. If he killed her now; he would have to kill Inuyasha (the poor guy would be devastated)_

_He would have to kill the entire gang; he would have to live with guilt,( because he realized she was right, and one of these ways was probably better for him; even if she didn't think of that as she put up the question) ; he could not kill Naraku; and finally, his sprit would wander when they switched bodies; most probably resulting in his death too._

_Spirits stay in one place. If they travel between bodies; rarely; they are aimed straight for it. If the body the spirit is aimed for is dead; it will not enter and get lost somewhere, leaving the actual person dead too. Nasty thought._

He took another deep breath.

He could feel the charm lightening.

Kagome looked up at him and said; "So? What have you come up with?"

Sesshomaru replied icily, "one: I want to kill you and my brother right now." He wouldn't do it; but he could scare them all he wanted.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Carry on!"

"And two: I would choose where you come up and beg at my feet."

Kagome gasped. But she gained an evil smile and asked in a sugar coated voice, "So, you admit to wanting to impress Sorai?"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, she's RAVISHING!" he said oh very dryly. But Kagome and Inuyasha were too busy giggling and whispering like little school girls to hear the sarcasm dripping out of each word.

Sesshomaru turned around and muttered, "Stupid Inuyasha and his wench wouldn't know sarcasm if fell out of the sky!"

Inuyasha and Kagome heard; the last nine words. "He thinks she fell out of the sky?" Inuyasha laughed, clearly enjoying himself.

"Boy is he love struck!" Kagome said, and giggled.

Sesshomaru couldn't handle this anymore. He went over and after pleading to the lord to kill him (that didn't work) threw a tree in a conveniently placed position, at Inuyasha, making sure Kagome didn't get hurt.

That would kill her; but would only succeed in causing a back ache for his brother.

"If you had noticed; I was extremely sarcastic the whole time. Now I will tell you which option I will choose. Option d, the one you failed to mention. The one that concerns killing you both if you don't shut up and screw off RIGHT NOW!"

"Fluffy."

She jumped on his back_. Now tell me; or I WILL braid your hair just like you did Inuyasha's._

Sesshomaru was brave; very brave; but not stupid. He knew a lost fight when he saw one. And this was one. He mumbled something about option A, before knocking Kagome to the ground and taking off.

Kagome didn't mind the least bit though. She had what she had wanted. He gave her an answer. Grinning; she walked over to Inuyasha, who had managed to push the tree off but was still on the ground.

She was smiling hideously. "Mind helping me up?" Inuyasha asked, moaning_. His back HURT! He had to get back at his brother; but by the look of the smile on Kagome's face, she already had a plan._

She jerked him up quickly, evidently her mind on other plans. "Inuyasha?"

She asked.

"Hmn?"

"Want to throw a tree at Sesshomaru's already cowering ego?"

"HELL YES!"

000000000000000000000000

As everyone was sitting around the campfire, eating, including Sesshomaru and Sorai, Inuyasha and kagome popped out from behind the tree.

They had managed to muster tears and came and starting to sit on the ground next to Sesshomaru.

"Oh holy one! Forgive us for our sins and spare us a horrible fate!"

"Oh master, we were incredibly stupid to even think of disobeying you like that!"

By this time everyone had heir eyebrows raised and Shippo was giggling.

"We should be worshipping the ground you walk on, yet we perform treacherous acts!"

"How are you so kind...forgiving...divine..." form here they started to laugh.

Kagome took it a step further. "honest, helpful, lovely, righteous, cute..."

Inuyasha continued, "so beautiful, and so much better then I am, and..."

Kagome continued with a smirk, "bishounen, hot, so damn good looking..."

Sesshomaru was now officially freaked. _What are they doing? The...I AM GOING TO KILL THEM!_

Sorai was thinking along the lines of:-

_She is so right. He is every one of those things...a VERY good looking employer...wait, I shouldn't be thinking this now! Poor Sesshomaru dear already looks like he's constipated or something!_

Kagome fell on the ground cracking up as she read Sorai's thought. Sesshomaru looked horrified at Sorai's thought. _Not in front of the crazed miko!_ He groaned.

_What somewhere else?_

_I am going to kill you, you insolent, pathetic-_

_-But very funny—_

_-Idiotic—_

_-Hilarious—_

_-Human and a hanyou!_

Inuyasha continued. "Yep, we should ADORE you, like a certain other person here does!"

Therefore completing the last phase of their revenge, he disappeared into the woods carrying a still laughing Kagome.

00000000000000000000000000

As Kagome and Inuyasha sat high in a very far away tree, they discussed their plan.

"I think that was awesome!" Inuyasha was giddy.

"Yeah, but I fell over laughing and couldn't say the last line!"

"It's alright. I took over for you."

"so...did you see the look on his face when I called him bishounen, and pretty and threw other comments at him?"

A certain hanyou grinned. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world!"

00000000000000000000000000

Back at the camp, everyone was cracking up with laughter. Sango for one could not believe what had just happened.

"Kagome called...Sesshomaru...hot and good looking...hahaa...OMG!" she said in between her gasps for air.

Shippo, and Miroku were faring no better.

Kouga had wandered off to laugh in the corner, probably afraid of Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru had barely come out of his reverie. He still spluttered when he tried to talk. He was not angry surprisingly... _If his brother and his wench were both mentally retarded, then let them be. He did not have anything to do with this. His dignity would stumble and drop dead if he did something unreasonable now._

_But he was not all that forgiving. He would get them back; just not now; and not by killing them. Oh yes, they would pay, their pride would pay dearly._

Beside him, Sorai's thoughts were running around in circles, and the fact that Sesshomaru could hear them, got him even more annoyed.

_What were they talking about? What had gotten into them? Although they were pretty accurate in defining sesshomaru-sama's traits; I don't think this manner suited him. Oh and yep, that miko was totally right in calling sesshomaru a bishounen...his tail is so cute!_

Sesshomaru groaned. Now he was stuck in a group of fully mental people. The only he could have a somewhat decent conversation with was Shippo. Which wasn't saying much because, after every five seconds the person talking to him would have a heart attack from Shippo yelling 'I LOVE CHOCOLATE!' in his mind. Seriously scary.

_I guess I'm the only sane person left... even Sorai has gone...weird...oh well... she was much more attractive when she could think straight!_

_Ahah! I caught you thinking about how attractive Sorai is! BURN! MUWAHAHA!_

Now even though she knew that was not by any means a burn, she could not help but adding it to the sentence.

Kagome was sending him a mental message; from who knows how far away. This really, really sucked.

_Miko, get out of my mind._

_Sheesh! No need to get all defensive on me!_

_There is a need. You have not realized that you have made the worst mistake of your life._

_Look, all we wanted to do was to show you that you werent so icy, and to try and show Sorai the truth._

_What truth?_

_The one where you think she's ravishing._

_It was a damn sarcastic comment!_

_Cave in sesshomaru. We have you all figured out._

_So you decide to annoy me to no end?_ His eyes glinted angrily.

_No; but you two look so cute together! I couldn't bare but help!_

_Aren't we reading a bit too much sappy poetry? And playing matchmaker?_

_It all comes from inside your head!_

Sesshomaru chose to ignore that lie and asked a minute later.

_Did you and Inuyasha plan all that?_

_Yeah...it was quite fun...but the last line where I was commenting on you, I couldn't resist but changing the words a bit._

_Hmn?_

_It was supposed to be 'silky shiny hair and boa thingy' but it came out 'bishounen, hot and so damn good looking...' it was funny...sorry though...that was a bit over the edge._

_Inuyasha will be so insanely jealous of his brother. In other words, me. For reasons more then I am a better fighter then him._

_You and your sibling rivalry. And no, I was thinking if the time I __**first**__ saw you._

_You said all that?_ He snorted. Trying desperately not to laugh. It would ruin his image.

_No, I thought it. _

He cracked and began laughing loudly, to everyone's surprise.

_Wow...Sesshomaru...don't laugh like that! Your teeth are scary looking!_

_Oh that means you can see me then? Then I can find you easily._

Kagome cursed herself_. No! Damn! Um...Inuyasha says so...he can see you, all I can see is a little white dot._ She thought, lying.

00000000000000000000000000000000000

Ugly bunny was hiding behind the bush. He did not want to get caught again; but his master had ordered him to do another body swap; and so a swap he would do.

0000000000000000000000000

Kagome felt a familiar falling sensation and opened her eyes to be apparently laughing really hard and sitting by Sorai and the others across from them.

They seemed to be staring at her intently. She started swearing.

"Damn... I'm him again!"

Sorai looked over the book she was currently reading at her.

"Sesshomaru-sama? Are you alright?" Now normally she didn't get chances to ask such questions but now it seemed like necessary.

"I'm Kagome. In his body. Again. Damn."

Sorai looked mildly interested. "Hnm... so this is how you change bodies...I still have not found any ritual for changing bodies..(she raised the book) ...but I suppose seeing the effect first hand might be more helpful."

From there she began asking questions like 'did you feel anything when you were about to swap' or 'do you feel different now?" etc.

Miroku, who had been sitting silently with Sango and Shippo, suddenly remarked; "Kagome-sama? Did you happen to notice that the switch only happened when the minion had gone free? When he was in the cage; there was no swap whatsoever. That means that it might be near. Do you sense anything?" he asked both Sorai and Kisb.

"No...OMG!" Kisb jumped up and started running quite fast towards the bushes. She was actually surprised at how fast she could run and how acute her senses were. _Wow being a demon is awesome! I feel so...strong!_

After a second Sorai also gave chase, her hair band flapping in the wind. She had taken out her fan and had spread it in front of her, holding the tip to her chin.

"I wonder what the purpose of her fan is?" Miroku asked. They had not bothered to get up. If Kisb and Sorai could not catch the minion then it was obvious that they would not be of any help since the chase was all about speed.

They saw soon enough though. As they saw a certain greyish blur in the long grass; Sorai raised the fan away from her and swung it at the blur. A huge gust of wind was unleashed, shaped like a dagger and it blew the minion straight over. He had escaped the main attack; which ensured him getting ripped to shreds but was bowled over and went rolling smack into a tree. He recovered very quickly though; and before Kisb or Sorai could get there; he ran off into the woods. Sorai came to a halt. Pursuit would be useless now. He had gone into the dark wood; with too much of a head start, and her night vision was not nearly as good Sesshomaru's. She would probably end up destroying half the forest trying to hit the minion before she could get out.

Kisb had also halted and they walked back to the camp together; Sorai still cursing her bad luck_. Why? Why did the stupid minion have to make them change bodies now!? For all she knew; she could have been with Sesshomaru now! Not fair._ A slight pout crossed her lips.

Kisb was having a very hard time controlling her giggling. _I am sure that Sesshomaru would not appreciate her giggling; no matter how amusing Sorai's thoughts._

_You are right. I also would not and do not appreciate that goofy smile and crazed childish giggling across my face; so please refrain from letting it appear._

_But aren't you reading Sorai's thoughts?_

_I can hear them. But they seem much less amusing to me._

_I find them hilarious._

_Well isn't someone a bit easily amused?_

_Ah be quiet already!_

_I am not saying anything._

_... (Kagome is silent)_

_... (Sesshomaru is silent)_

_I would also like to know why I am sitting about fifty feet off the ground with my brother on a tree, who still hasn't noticed and is blabbing on about the great performance you did tonight._

_Oh no? Inuyasha still hasn't noticed? Stupid stupid stupid..._

She ran toward where she could smell Inuyasha. A faint smell, but she could recognize it, and after a few seconds she was standing on the bottom of the tree with Inuyasha and her body sitting above.

"Come down now!" she called, momentarily forgetting that she looked like Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha stuck out his tongue at her. "Make me!" he taunted, pulling (who he thought was) Kagome closer, so he could grab her and jump if the time came.

"Sit boy." She opened her eyes as she realized Inuyasha was not on the ground.

Inuyasha flew down. "Wait a second...You're Kagome again?" She nodded.

He dropped Sikb's hand as if it were on fire. Sikb smirked.

Inuyasha looked aghast. "You mean that I have been telling all our future ways—to-embarrass-Sesshomaru plans to SESSHOMARU?!"

She nodded again, slightly amused_. He didn't notice until now. How funny._

Inuyasha grabbed Kisb's hand and did the only thing he could think of to escape a dangerous Sesshomaru's wrath where fighting him was not an option.

He tried to run back to the camp. But it didn't work because Sikb had just said two very dangerous words. "Fluffy, sit." They both at once got acquainted with the ground.

Sikb walked off in front of them.

Inuyasha grinned. "At least you know how awful it is now to get sat."

Kisb said, "I already knew, seeing as I had successfully gotten squished under a subdued person two times now!"

Inuyasha put his chin on his hand.

Kisb spoke up. "What exactly were you talking about up there?"

Inuyasha replied, "Our plan about what to do when we got back to camp, and how much success the entire thing had gone off with...and how we were gonna like annoying Sorai and Sesshomaru..."

"Inuyasha, did you see Sorai's attack back there?"

He shook his head.

"We really should try not to get her mad. I think she's a wind dragon demon or something and a really strong one too. She flicks her fan and entire waves of wind-made daggers come flying out."

"Wow"

"Yeah wow...so unless we trust her not to kill us, it is best if we stay out of her way for now."

"Yep, probably a good idea."

"Sesshomaru on the other hand though..."

Inuyasha grinned.

00000000000000000000000000000000

**So this is the second and the first part of the entire chapter...the one I posted before included.**

**I think that my resolution for longer chapters is ahem going a bit TOO far...I mean this is a fourteen page chapter at font size TEN!**

**Oh well... it's fun this way too...**

**Now review, please...and give some feedback on if the chapters should stay this long or they were better a quarter of this.**

**Also if this chapter made sense, there are a lot of new plots being revealed here.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Oh, I use the word 'bishounen' in the same context as Lady Lightningblade in 'true confession of a demon'.**

**Check it out, it's really funny.**

**Thanks to those who reviewed; and those who didn't, I wish you would...**

**Oh well, Airpeeps, Meshi Gohiku and 4-ever Disturbed, thanks so much fro being so quick to review and reviewing very time! Thanx again, and now I shall respond to your reviews as promised.**

**Airpeeps: plz don't stop writing long reviews, they are awesome! And believe me, when my friend made me watch the episode with sesshomaru in it for the first time; that was what I was thinking too! Glad you liked those parts, and I hope you have enjoyed this chapter too!**

**Meshi Gohiku: nah...I hope you like this chapter and keep reviewing plz, seeing as you have reviewed on like almost everyone of my chapters! Many, many thanks (sorry I don't really do hugs...)!**

**4-ever Disturbed: thank you! And say thanks to your friend and tell her I will hopefully keep it up, and try to keep making this story funny for all of you. By the way, isn't your friend on fanfiction? **

**Thanx again to everyone who bothered to read, and thanx to those who reviewed. Enjoy until next time!**

**Oh yeah, and check out the 'confession of a demon' until i put up the next chapter...which will be very soon, probably a day later. Tata!**


	28. Chapter 28

Naraku's mind games

**Naraku's mind games**

**The damn deer**

Kagome woke up groggily; the sun shining in an angle straight in her eyes. She looked down at herself expectantly but cursed when she saw she was still him.

The idiot Sesshomaru.

She was about to step get out of her branch (whaaaa?) when she looked down and saw fifty feet if tree beneath her. _Whoa! How the hell did I get this high? Oh yeah..._ She shook awake Inuyasha, who was leaning on the trunk and snoozing.

"Inuyasha? Wake up! We have to go back to camp, remember, we never went back because Sesshomaru would subdue us to eternity?"

He slowly opened his golden eyes to see his brother (or his body anyway) peering through them. He gave a start and was about to jump down or pull out tetsuiga, when he remembered something.

"Kagome? Is that you?"

She nodded.

"Why didn't you change back yet?" he asked, still rubbing his eyes to rid himself of sleep.

"How would I know?" Kisb answered, whispering.

"Why are you whispering?" he yelled.

Almost at once a petite figure of a young miko in a miniskirt stood underneath him. "You two have fun up there?" he asked, a smirk crossing his face.

"That's why!" Kisb said into Inuyasha's ear. He was about to hold Kisb on his back and jump down when a voice said commandingly. "Get my body off of you this instant, Inuyasha. She can jump down herself; after all, she is in my body now."

Kisb took a deep breath and holding Inuyasha's hand, jumped down.

_Your pathetic, even in my body!_

She just smiled back cheerily. "So, who's up for ramen for breakfast?'

Inuyasha shouted "ME! I WANT RAMEN!" ,succeeding in waking up a few very unhappy people.

A pebble, courtesy of Miroku came flying through the air and hit Inuyasha on the arm. "Try and let me sleep Inuyasha!"

A larger one, this time courtesy Sango, came with better aim and hit Inuyasha on the head. "Oh Inuyasha, will you please do me, or rather all of us, a favor and SHUT UP?" She snuggled back again in the futon she was lying in.

Inuyasha flinched at the sound of her voice, making him blink stupidly a few times to comprehend what happened.

_He's worse!_

Sikb sighed and lead the way for his still yawning companions to follow.

Kisb suddenly asked; "Hey Sesshomaru, could you try something?"

Sikb shot her an annoyed look.

"See if my body has miko powers; or if they came with me in your body, because then I can know how to use them if the time comes."

Inuyasha looked mildly interested. _Its not she'll be needing them, _he thought_, she's got me to protect her, I can handle anything that gets thrown my way and hers!_

_Figures Inuyasha would think something that egotistical._

Sikb replied, "I hope I never feel the need to fight in your body!" but drew his hand and tried with all his might to think of what miko's possibly think of when they draw their powers. Almost as soon as he tried; he felt a rushing sensation to the tip of his hand, which glowed with a purplish-blue light.

He sparked Inuyasha a bit and watched him jump.

"I take that as a yes... but I have them too...see?"

She clenched her hand and at once almost her entire fist began to glow.

_That means that your miko powers have also been split like my strength._

Sesshomaru was actually a bit impressed at the miko's powers. If he could call them so easily, and they seemed so strong, and this was only half or even less, since the greater part went with the soul to his body, his brothers wench much have extraordinary power! He thanked his lucky stars that she had not managed to control them fully when she fought him or Rin would have been kneeling over his grave now.

Not that she was much better at it now; she could only harness a rough half of it. He would hate to see the demon that she killed using all of her purifying powers. A purple shining heap of flesh and bones, that had been purified to extinction. He would feel pity for any demon which had been stupid enough to get in her way when she was at the peak of her power.

Kouga was awake when they went back to camp. He was leaning against a lone tree, yawning. Once he saw Inuyasha, he threw a pebble at Inuyasha; effectively hitting him on the shoulder, and yawning again, went back to sleep.

Inuyasha raged over to Kouga, about to wake him up by cruelly by kicking him in the shin when he came face to face with Sikb.

Kouga turned over. 'Thanks Sesshomaru...hnm...sleepy..." he went back to sleep.,not even noticing that it was a bit strange for sesshomaru to be protecting him.

Inuyasha smirked. "Now that's a sight I'll never see again. My dear older brother, protecting a mangy wolf. Isn't that so cute?" he looked over to Sikb; his nose wrinkled; a desperate attempt at cooing.

Sikb kicked Inuyasha and grunted something about going to hunt; and walked impassively into the woods, against the morning sun. It was a wonder how he ever killed a deer in kagome's body, without a weapon, or ruining her clothes...but whatever...

He returned after fifteen minutes and thrust a deer at a newly awakened Sango. "Cook it. I am going to wash my face."

Now of course that got Sango annoyed. She wakes up after being disturbed by Inuyasha yelling 'RAMEN!' the first time then waked up again by Inuyasha cooing over kouga and then sikb shoves a deer at her to cook_. What a great way to wake up!_

She angrily stabbed a sharpened pole through the poor deer's body and plopped it on the sticks meant for holding it over the fire. Then she went and punched an unaware Inuyasha in the stomach. He doubled over for a second, more from the shock then from pain and then straightened out.

"What the hell was that for?"

She smiled sweetly. Then her face contorted into a dark smile as she answered, "For waking me up. Now if you really want to coo over Kouga, I suggest you do it now, for he asleep and probably won't get freaked out at you pulling his cheeks and making baby noises at him."

Kisb laughed.

"Sango; the deer!" she yelled, as it had started to smoke.

"Tell Inuyasha to do it. I am going to wash my face."

Inuyasha jumped up on a tree_. But I don't wanna cook a deer or eat deer right now. I WANT RAMEN!_

Kisb sighed, knowing there was no one else to cook the deer, and it would burn until they all got over their bickering. She rummaged through her bag; finally finding what she was looking for; a black clip. She hoped Sesshomaru wouldn't mind; but then on the other hand, _it would be quite funny...no...she mustn't think that!_

Shaking her head, as to get rid of all thoughts she simply took ran her taloned fingers through her long silvery hair and put them up in a rough bun, still some strands and bangs framing her face. She caught a look of herself in the mirror and bit her lip to keep out from laughing. Se knew once she started, she wouldn't be able to stop. _Oh god this looked hilarious! Sesshomaru had his silky hair up in a bun, and she couldn't stop laughing._

Composing herself, she emerged from behind the tree, and started tending the deer.

Stupid thing wasn't cooking properly, just burning the surface, and it seemed. She stood there, face puckered, lips in a pout, hand on her hips, and staring at the deer as if expecting it to cook from the scorching glares she gave it. Oh and she had her hair up. Now of that were on Kagome's body, it would have not been too much out of place. But this was Sesshomaru's body.

And so when Sango emerged from the forest; having successfully woken herself up, and wiped all the sleepiness out of her eyes, she saw Kisb and turned around. Upon closer inspection Kisb could see her shoulders shaking. While Kisb just stood there in the same pose, trying to figure out what was wrong with Sango and why the damn deer wasn't cooking, Kouga also emerged out of the thicket. Kouga was facing Sango, so he could see her, choking with the effort not to let her laughs being heard.

Kouga looked over Sango's shoulder and saw Kisb standing there. Unluckily for him, he did not have as much composure as Sango and didn't even try to turn around before he fell flat on his face, pounding the ground with his fists; his face still unseen. Kisb kneeled over him and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up a bit expectantly; and saw a concerned expression on her face. He cracked up further.

Inuyasha remarked from on top of the tree he had been laughing himself into hysterics (unnoticed by Kisb) "Oh great! now my brother is...is...concerned over his precious wolf!" _Oh Sesshomaru; you would look incredibly cute in a miniskirt...right about now..._

At this Kisb dashed over and kicked Kouga in the ribs. "What's so funny?" she demanded, glancing over at Sango, who had run behind a tree to try and form a straight face.

"You...have hair...up...angry at...deer...hands...on hips...and pouting! You just look so FUNNY standing there giving the deer death glares!" he cried out through his laughs and gasps of pain at Kisb kicking him.

Sikb had returned by this time and after taking a survey of the current affairs; thought

_Take my hair down right now_.

_It's hot! And I was trying to cook the damn deer! You don't want your hair catching fire now do you?-OMG! The deer!_

She rushed over to the deer, which had now almost turned black from the back. She was now blowing on it now to clear the smoke; and Inuyasha, Kouga and Sango laughed harder. Her face red from the heat, and puffed out from blowing on the deer, she returned to Kouga, blackened with soot.

And she couldn't figure out WHY the hell Kouga was continually gasping for air.

Sikb sighed. _That miko had not one graceful bone in her body. At least Sorai was not awake, as of yet._

_Oh well. He could at least make the ones who were laughing shut up._ "Sit!" Inuyasha came crashing down.

Kouga needed something else; he was already on the ground. He simply passed over him, taking care to step on his spine. Kouga let out a wail of pain, waking up everyone else. That got him bombarded with rocks from Miroku and with tickly illusion spiders from shippo. Rin threw a crumpled crayon drawing, while Sorai shot him dagger glares. Sikb was about to go and handle Sango, when he heard this outrageously loud thought from Kouga. _Awww Sesshomaru that HURT! And move Kagome's body! Be a bit careful will you? I can almost see up her skirt, and the hanyou probably can!_

Sikb jumped back five feet, while Kisb giggled. _At least he has that much regard for me!_

_I should not have done that._

_No that was totally sweet of you!_

_That's why I shouldn't have done it._

_Fine; Sesshomaru, you bastard, that was a perfectly evil, horrendous thing for you to do!_

_So you wanted me to stay there?_

_No! Your the one who doesn't like good heroics!_

_So you insult the person who just saved your already puny dignity?_

_What else was supposed to say? Like 'Awww Sesshomaru! Thanks for doing something perfectly evil to me!?'_

_You are confusing._

_No, you are confused._

_Silence!_

_Put my hair down already!_

_What? Can't stand me touching your hair? It sooooo soft! _She ran her hand through her hair just to provoke him. _God it was so much fun getting under Sesshy's skin!_

_Yes. Because it is MINE. Understand?_

_NO...not really...'cause right now it is mine!_

A growl escaped sikb. It was not his fault he liked his hair. A lot. And was fiercely protective of it.

Kisb raised a strand of hair to her lips and after smelling it, started whispering loud enough that everyone could hear "I love you, my pretties!" and with that she implanted a kiss on the strand and started prancing around, waving her hair around.

That was enough to get everyone cracked again. Even Sorai hid behind a tree.

Inuyasha jumped over and put his ear to Sikb's throat. "She's still growling!" and to him "Wow! I didn't know you could growl, Kagome!"

_If you really could growl, it would make you so much more...cute...and scary...!_

Sikb pushed Inuyasha into a tree with surprising force and kneeled over and whispered 'sit' in his ear about twenty times. "You might want me to clear up a misconception. I am your step brother; not your wench!" he snarled.

The typical reply followed.

"I/SHE AM/IS NOT HIS/MINE!!"

Sikb looked up at the sky, a merry sun rising from behind the forest. _Whoever is up there making me go berserk with these idiots; this isn't funny!_

"No! Sango! I'm sorry!"

They all turned their head to a very angry Sango and an unconscious monk crumpled on the ground. They didn't even need to ask. Stupid monk, wandering hands, angry Sango...

Behind them; a shrill cry for help was heard. The merry atmosphere was shattered and Inuyasha, Sikb, and Kisb raced off to find out what had happened. Sango ordered Shippo and Rin to stay put and after grabbing her boomerang, raced after Sorai and Kirara.

_Suppose this is a trap?_ Kagome thought nervously.

_It is unlikely, for no one knows who we are after._ Sesshomaru answered almost immediately.

Kagome took solace in this answer and threw the bow and arrow she had brought habitually, to Sikb. You will be needing them now.

He gave a grim nod and caught them.

"Up Kirara!" Sango commanded, and leaned over to catch sikb by the shoulder.

He looked over at Sango, a bit surprised, but then jumped on behind her. He could not match the running speed while he was human. He scanned the figure in front of him and thought, _Wow, she's fast to come to duty_. True she had set off two minutes after the rest, but had tied her hair, shed her normal clothes to reveal a tight black and hot pink slayer uniform, fastened her katana to her waist and grabbed her boomerang AND come catching up on Kirara.

_She can fight pretty well for a human_, Sesshomaru thought; judging by his experience of seeing her in battle with the group once as he passed over them on his cloud. _She does have an intense spirit for battle; most probably her strong point._

As the firecat underneath them leaped and ran faster; Sikb saw what the cause of all the commotion was. There was a young girl; a demoness; desperately trying to fight a giant one eyed monster bat, hovering over her flapping its wings and unleashing fire waves. The girl seemed to be of a lizard demon family; the amour of scales just beginning to grow around her wrists and ankles. She barely seemed older then Rin; and fought with as much ferociously as she could muster; but Sesshomaru could hear Inuyasha thinking about the intense smell of fear surrounding her.

The girl took one sweeping pleading look at all of them which tempted them to fight. Sango threw her boomerang; and while the bat stopped fanning fire at the girl; opened it's mouth, exposing its teeth, breathed fire out at Kirara and the ones on her back. Kirara neatly blocked the attack and shot back more fire. Inuyasha yelled "Its no good to fight fire with fire!" and swung the tetsuiga at the bat; trying to unleash the windscar as an arrow went whizzing by Sango's cheek and hit tetsuiga. It transformed back.

_Oh damn._

"Watch where your aiming those things, you bastard, Sesshomaru!" he yelled, punching the bat, as now his sword was useless for the time being.

"It's alright! I've got it covered!" Kisb yelled from the far corner. She whipped out the poison whip and using Sesshomaru's constant mental advice, managed to strike it on one wing.

The bat now flew lopsided; blood flowing from one side, and the girl had crawled to a relatively safe place.

Another arrow flew by, but missed the beast and instead struck the tree behind which the girl was hiding and the tree started to melt.

"Don't give out that much power into the arrows or you'll go unconscious!" Kisb screamed at Sikb. He gave a determined nod and loaded another arrow as Inuyasha swept by swung the girl to a safer spot; preferably where tree weren't melting, or there wasn't a chance of getting shot by Sikb's off-target arrows. Sango threw a poison powder bag at the demon's eye. It began to water, but more noticeably then that was the way it was affecting Sikb, Kisb, Kirara, and Inuyasha. Since they all were close to the demon; the powder affected them, and at once, Inuyasha, the closest, crumpled, Sikb was having a hard time keeping on a jolting, spewing Kirara, and Kisb sunk to her knees, coughing.

Sango jumped off and struck the demon with her boomerang in the right wing;the one that was flapping; causing it to fall abruptly.

But the demon was not going to give up just yet. It still had its mouth fire attack even if it could not flap it's wings. It roared a fireball at Sango, who jumped back, but not enough to spare her all injuries.

Sorai was in a corner, quiet as a ninja. She had been here the entire fight, waiting for the proper time to unleash her winds of hell and finish off the monster. She had an advantage here, at the foot of a cave, partially covered by a old buttress tree and lots of moss. The monster could not enter, and would have a hard time spotting her here. She didn't intend to give up her position, but when she saw the second fireball being prepared in the back the monster's mouth, and Sango still within range; she abandoned her defense and put up a powerful wind wall in front of Sango and herself, having just dashed there.

Sango didn't waste time, but instead, as soon as the wind shield was down, made sure that the monster; starting to weaken greatly courtesy Sango's poison bag; found a katana protruding in the middle of his chest.

As he screamed in agony and tried to launch an attack one last time, Sorai, hair flying to one side, and kimono rippling with the residue of her wind attack; shot one of her wind daggers at the monster; hitting where Sango's katana already had; pushing it in further and deepening the wound.

The beast blinked once; twice; and toppled over to the side; its eye glassy.

Sorai straightened; and letting out a few deep breaths; folded her fan.

Sango was already busy making each one of the victims of her poison powder smell the antidote.

"Where did you get that from?" Sorai asked. It had seemed highly unlikely that Sango would even know of an antidote; let alone have it on her.

"Humans can suffer from this too, you know. It always comes in handy to have it on you." She replied through her mask. "You were too far to be affected, and I had my mask. I am so sorry." She said a bit softer, stroking kirara's fur around the eyes as she stirred. Inuyasha had already begun to open his eyes; so Sango had passed to Kirara; the next closest one to the poison bomb. "I totally forgot that I was fighting in the company of demons, and humans who didn't have a mask. And I didn't think that Kirara would go closer at that second when I threw it..."

"It's alright though. They'll be up within the hour!" she said, her voice a little lighter as Sorai helped her make everyone inhale enough of the seashell pink powder that she kept in a bag around her waist.

And so she was right, within the hour they all were up, ready,( and after a short disagreement between Sango and Inuyasha on account of knocking them all out) had taken their weapons and the girl back to camp to an anxious monk, a kitsnue and Rin.

Not to mention the badly burnt remains of what once may have been a damn deer; still over the fire.

000000000000000000000000000

So...this is my first attempt at a fight scene in this fanfic; or in any fanfic since this is my first.

Review and tell me what you think please!

4-ever disturbed:- oh its alright then...and I like long reviews no matter what's in it. Thanks for reviewing and reading!

Meshi gohiku:- awesome idea ,and believe me, I will do as much as i can to fit them somewhere!

Oreoxlove4ever:- glad you like it. Keep enjoying and thanks for the review and reading.

Andreakk2003:- glad you like the story line, this just started from a little idea of a one shot into a REALLY long and (hopefully) funny story...

It seems like someone is a bit...well...if your smart enough to read my story and review...then no one can say you're stupid! ;)


	29. Chapter 29

Naraku's mind games

**Naraku's mind games**

**Atira**

Atira cuddled to the corner of the shadows; yet staying close enough to the fire to get some warmth. She stared up at the velvet sky, her brownish grey eyes dull. Her hair was short and carelessly thrown over her shoulders, glistening as she jerked her head back towards the blazing fire.

She had been sitting here quietly ever since her 'rescuing' from the giant bat. A triumphant smirk crept across her face, hidden in the shadow. The miko had welcomed her with open arms as soon as she told them all a long pitiful story about how she was an abandoned orphan, and her village, and everyone she loved was destroyed by an evil demon by the name on Naraku.

She had pretended to be surprised when she leaned that this was the exact person that they were searching to kill; and had pretended to be hesitant about joining them on their search. Too much trust was a weakness. And here the miko's trust was going to take them through pain and misery to the gates of death; and possibly beyond.

Sango sat by her. She felt immensely drawn toward the young youkai girl when she had heard the story of her sufferings and the treacherous plan carried out by Naraku_. Kill an entire village because the village leader was not able to lend soldiers to destroy the slayers village. Her village. The girl's leader had not helped and died for his choice, dragging down his entire village; save for Atira._

Miroku sat across from Sango, reflecting on the day, the firelight making patterns on his face, a shadow formed behind the arch of his nose. He took a glance at the girl; still lost in the star's eternal beauty. He felt pity for the girl_; Naraku that bastard would pay. He had made so many people suffer, he didn't deserve to live_. Anger flicked across is features he simmered silently._ How could he? Why could he? How come he got away? That evil baboon would die. It was simple as that. He would DIE, pay for all the misery he caused. Heck, even the demons of hell didn't deserve to have to deal with him. He was...too sick to deal with, to talk to, the way he just waved away despair of others so indifferently; after having caused it all in the first place... _Miroku clenched his right hand; making the beads leave imprints on his skin.He looked down_. The cause of the pain. the controller of evil; the master of evil itself. Him..._

Kagome looked over from her content position, eyelids shutting while leaning on Inuyasha's side. She yawned daintily then snuggled in closer and kicked out her legs from under her. She was too tired to get up and roll out her futon. She hoped that someone would bother to lay her down after she went to sleep. She cast one look on the now dying embers of the fire, and shifting her position, locked her eyes on Atira.

Her mind made a desperate attempt at thinking; smiling at the thought of Atira traveling with them for now. She seemed like such a calm child who seemed unable to tell the truth those dreary eyes held. She had seemed a bit strange at first; her eyes never lighting up, forever lost in deep thoughts, her smile seemed lacking of warmth.

She shook it off. _If Sesshomaru, Sorai, Inuyasha, Shippo, Kouga with demon senses didn't notice it; or didn't care; who was she to question their senses. She's probably lost in sorrow, poor thing. _Another thing that had been nagging at her all along was how she couldn't hear any of her thoughts. _Maybe she's constructed a mental barrier around her; but why?_ She mused, before tossing the worries and doubts to the wind and leaned more against Inuyasha, who grunted.

At that moment he was giving Sesshomaru death glares who was smirking and kept twitching his eyebrows at a young miko curled up against Inuyasha's arm.

Sesshomaru was actually feeling quite relaxed with taking his mind off the Atira when he spotted his brother. _The miko was more amusing then she knew. _As she was innocently dozing against a certain hanyou; Sesshomaru pretended to be amused at the sleeping arrangements. Lucky for Inuyasha shippo was already asleep; or else Sesshomaru would really have a reason to annoy him even more.

Inuyasha flickered his eyes towards Sorai; sitting by Sango. She seemed to be saying something in a low voice to which Sango nodded slightly. The fire crackled as if it knew it was the only thing making noise, aside from Kagome's, and Shippo's soft snores and intakes of breath.

Sesshomaru was actually quite puzzled as to why he couldn't hear Atira's thoughts. He had tried breaking through her barriers many times now; but every time it seemed as he had gotten through; there was only more white silence. He had stopped trying for now for the fear of driving himself mad with frustration.

But this was a tension reliever.

As his brother quirked his eyes at Sorai; now fiddling with her bracelets; Sesshomaru allowed himself a small bit of annoyance. _Couldn't he give it a rest already? Not that he was giving him a rest regarding the miko; but still._

He put on a face as if to say, 'yeah, so what will you do about it?' and faced Inuyasha. Inuyasha took a look at Sesshomaru and thought, _aha! I knew he would admit it pretty soon! If only I could console you dear brother; Sorai isn't that bad looking, in fact you two are adorable!_

He sniggered.

Sesshomaru stared at him, eyes boring a hole into his brother's eyes with the frost gaze. Inuyasha looked away, trying to control his laughter for the sake of not waking up Kagome, if nothing else. _God, Sesshomaru would really be pissed off if he found out what I just thought of. Sesshomaru and Sorai...I wish kagome was awake to hear this._ He glanced over at the sleeping girl, whose head was slipping down Inuyasha's chest slowly, and about to hit his lap. She looked more innocent than ever when she was asleep, Shippo in her arms cradled to her neck. He grumbled a bit about the 'damn sleepy wench' and muttered some incoherent words before carrying her to her rolled futon and after straightening out, putting her and the kitsnue into it, under his half brothers amused stare. He patted her forehead slightly, and pulled Shippo's tail just enough to irritate him a bit before giving a long expressionless stare to Sesshomaru; wishing goodnight to Sorai, Miroku and Sango, patting Atira on the head, and retiring on the top of the tree under which Kagome was currently in a blissful sleep.

Sango stared at Sesshomaru, who had a curious expression on his face before bidding farewell to the monk, Sorai, Sesshomaru and whispering a good night to Atira, and taking kirara off to a corner.

The monk followed; only to be slapped and ordered to the other side of the camp. He came back, looking heartbroken. Sorai smiled a disgruntled smile and excused herself for the night, her kimono swishing with the light breeze.

Sesshomaru acknowledged her good night with a 'tsk' and leaned back on the tree to his back. For some reason his instincts told him to stay awake; since no one else was willing to stay nightguard. ( Kouga went off to sleep long before any of them)

Now it was just him and a pair of dull eyes on flesh across from him.

She showed no sign of being sleepy; but all of a sudden, she rose and giving a nod in his direction went off to sleep.

(a/n: I had no idea why I wanted to write the entire before bedtime part, but oh well. Don't worry, there is still more fore this chapter!)

Sesshomaru stared at the sky, sighing slightly as he remembered Rin, thinking of someone who was Atira's age. _Damn, I miss her already!_

_Aha! Sorai just head off to bed five minutes ago! And I caught you thinking of her already!_

He sighed. _Miko, do you not have anything else to do except for to invade my privacy?_

_Nah...too much fun really! Inuyasha woke me up putting me here; and I cant read dreams, so I was bored._

_Not a valid excuse._

_Why don't you keep a barrier around your mind always if I bug you so much?_

_It is tiring to maintain all the time. Just like it is tiring to stay around you._

_Oh enough with the complaints already!_

_Hmn._

_..._

_..._

_Hey Sesshomaru? Why do you put up with Rin and hate all other humans?_

_You have no business to be asking this._

_Tell me! Pretty please?_

_Hnfh. Only because she's not annoying, and listens to what I say. And tortures Jaken._

_Ah...the true reason. Why are you so mean to him?_

_Are you any nicer?_

_No...but he calls me wretched human and worships you! At least you should vouch for him!_

_He's annoying with his pathetic forever faithful servant act._

_He thinks it's the best way to show his loyalty to 'The Great Sesshomaru!'_

_He thinks wrong. I don't even think he __**can**__ think. I mean; can you fit a decent brain inside that head?_

_To top it off he's green?! Right?_ She responded laughing.

_And smells. I don't think he's ever taken a bath until Rin and Shippo poured flowery perfume over him._

_So you know about that too..._

_I could smell it off him._

_Shippo is down right evil when he meets Rin._

_I think it's the other way around. Shippo influences Rin to be evil._

_I bet she learns more off you; the way you treat him._

_He deserved it every time._

_I bet he did...aren't these mental conversations fun?_

_Oh yeah! I long for one ALL THE TIME!_ Sesshomaru rolled his eyes.

_Aren't you funny?_

_Hnmf._

_And cute._

_..._

_And have a fluffy tail_

_Grrrr..._

_And so damn good looking!_ She finished laughing her head off soundlessly.

_Don't you dig up the past wench._

_It wasn't THAT long ago... besides; Sorai is thinking it right now.._

_What?_

_What? Your heart jump up to your throat?_

_No. I thought she was asleep._

_So you jumped in happiness when you found out she was awake..._

_She isn't. I can sense it._

_You are one VERY amusing demon lord; you know that?_

_Courtesy you and Inuyasha._

_Well...yawn...I am going to sleep now. Nice talking to you. You are so funny! I see what Sorai sees in you!_

_I should have killed you the first time we met._

_It's not like you didn't try._

_I knew you held the tetsuiga._

_You didn't really want to kill me then?_

_Not really. I mean for being annoyingly loud; but I didn't really care if you lived or died. But now I wish I had killed you then. _

_Aw! That's so sweet! Thanks awot ywou cwute lwitte dweamon!_ Kagome said in baby voice.

_I also didn't care for killing you then; Inuyasha would be totally lonely, you know?_

_My idiotic brother actually looks cute with you. Two ugly things look cute together you know?_

_Don't turn the tables._

_There is no table here; let alone plural._

_It's an expression! You're so frustrating!_

_Wasn't I just amusing?_

_Times change._

_Quite right. Now it's time I grow tired of this conversation; so you should go to sleep. Instantly._

_In your dreams!_

_What?_

_It's an expression!_

_You and your melodramatic expressions!_

_We belong together!_ She smiled sweetly.

_Go to sleep already!_ He grumbled.

_As you please fluffy-sama!_

She lay down, chortling.

...

000000000000000

after a while of Kagome shifting positions in bed; Sesshomaru starts:-

_So you not think Atira strange?_

_She's depressed, Sesshomaru. She lost her entire family and villagers. She's alone in the world._

_She does not think; or does not show it. I have tried to get inside her barrier; but have unsuccessful until now._

_I'll try tomorrow while talking to her._

_You do that. I am going to continue trying from afar. She seems suspiciously...strange._

_How exactly?_

_We found her fighting a bat, saying she had fighting for long, yet was not hurt; and not one of her attacks hit the demon. It was almost like she was avoiding it and it avoiding her._

_Coincidence that she couldn't hit and wasn't hit._

_Her eyes._

_What?_

_Her eyes. Dead, with no light...almost like...a puppet._

_But she has warmth and an aura of living around her. She can't be a puppet!_

_She appealed her story directly to you, as if knowing you were her ticket to enter the group._

_Can't we just say I look soft?_

_Do not. You look, and are evil._

_Enough with that! Continue._

_She seems to avoid demons; as if she is afraid that we will sense something about her._

_You guys are scary looking! _Kagome protested.

_I thought that I, the most powerful one of them, is...ahem... what did you say again? Cute, and nice?_ He smirked at being able to prove her wrong.

_You just have something against her!_

_Your trust is too blind. She knows that and is taking advantage of that._

_She's a little girl!_

_Who I believe is a complicated puppet of some strong demon._

_Who would want to...no wait...Naraku?_

_You caught on._

_Yep._

_Finally._

_Keep talking_. She instructed.

_I think she's a puppet or another minion. I will test her tomorrow._

_How?_

_Drawing her blood._

_WHAT?!_

_If she no blood or it is of an odd color, I will slay her._

_You will not lay a finger on her._

_Who are you ordering me around?_

_Do I have to remind you about a certain rosary hanging around you neck?_

_Do what you want. I will 'accidentally' scratch her with a branch or my sword while practicing and you all will see the truth._

_No, you will! Don't hurt her. She's only a little girl._

_Have you looked into her eyes?_

_Hnf, that's beside the point._

_No it isn't. Her eyes look dead and clammy. Notice her faults. You are too trusting miko. You trust my brother. That should be proof is enough._

_No. I did not make a mistake trusting Inuyasha. I refuse to believe it._ She thought quietly.

_He foolishly believed his previous 'lover' tried to slay him for so much time from one action. This is the emotion he gives to his cherished? So easily broken? Like his trust?_

_No! You're wrong!_

_Think what you want to. I am only telling you._ Sesshomaru tensed. He could smell a hot tear coming from the shape of a miko in the dark, facing away from him.

Inuyasha awoke with the scent. As soon as he had pin pointed the location of the source; instead of disturbing the silence; he gently dropped by Kagome. She covered her face with her pillow, and tried to hide the smell but before she could do anything much else; she felt his claws lightly on her shoulders and she was on the top of a tree where she fell into a moody slumber, her face a few inches below his chin.

00000000000000000000000

tomorrow

Sesshomaru was practicing with Toukijin, hair up in a high pony, not unlike the one Inu-tashio once used to prefer, early in the morning, before Kagome had woken up from her comfy spot, with everyone but her and Inuyasha (by her) was awake after breakfast. The sword was whipping through the air; silent, graceful.

Atira was sitting in the group; as usual with the expressionless face.

Sesshomaru grimaced slightly. _Here goes nothing!_ He thought, and swiped the sword behind him, doing an impressive 360 degree spin on his toes; the sword barely a blur. Just as he predicted, if her let go of the sword slightly while coming towards her; as he did; it would scratch her arm. Just deep enough to draw blood. He turned expectantly to her; searching for any signs of injury, or pain. She didn't seem to notice until she saw Sesshomaru stare at her arm. "Oh, that. It stings a bit, but I'm fine." But inside she was cursing herself quite loud. So loud actually, that Sesshomaru, with a bit of effort was able to hear her think. _Damn! I didn't notice! Stupid stupid stupid stupid...I cant believe I forgot to wince! dammit! _She thought as she winced now_. Now that idiot will think something is up!_

Sesshomaru's eyes widened, then he turned the other way and grimaced. _He knew he would be correct. He'd better wake the miko while she can hear Atira too._

So he yelled in his mind_, MIKO! WAKE UP! ATIRA IS THINKING!_

Kagome jumped three feet in her sleep deprived surprise. Not a smart thing to do on a tree. She fell over the edge, and was saved by Inuyasha, as he leaned over the edge and caught her hand.

"are ya trying to kill yourself?" he asked groggily, still not properly awoken. She was inches from breaking her spinal cord on the next branch, now by her feet.

She grinned sheepishly. "No, sorry...I hope I didn't wake you up..."

He looked at her in a strange way. "You were one foot from breaking your back on the next branch if I hadn't caught you, and you only worry if you've woken me up. Damn wench. Get your priorities straight!" _No, seriously! What would I do if you fell down and hurt yourself? I'd never forgive myself for letting you fall_, he thought as he hauled her back up, only to jump off with her a second later.

Sesshomaru sighed. _Am I interrupting something?_

_No...yeah now...what were you saying?_

_Atira. Thinking. Now. No blood._

_YOU CUT HER?! You bastard! I told you not to-_

_She has no blood._

_What?_

_Blood. She doesn't have any._

_How come...?_

_She's a puppet! Damn, you are slow to catch on._

_You just woke me up!_

_From a highly comfortable position I might add._

_SHUT UP!_

_You're just jealous. Because I was right. Now read her mind while she still has the barrier off._

_Hnmf._ But she began to strain her mind to hear any thoughts from within a fifteen foot radius.

At once she heard the thoughts of her friends; followed by that of Atira.

_I want ramen for breakfast! _

_Stupid monk..._

_Sango hits really hard doesn't she?_

_The monk's idiocy, again. When will he learn?_

_Chocolate!_

_I wonder if I should practice my wind attacks later...it's been so long...I'll go out of practice!_

_I still cant believe I forgot to wince when he cut me! Stupid stupid stupid... I wonder if that was an accident...a good thing I covered it in time, he probably didn't notice the fact that there is no blood in this useless puppet body._

Kagome gasped. That was Naraku no doubt.

She walked over sedately, and placed her hand on Atira's small head. She looked up expectantly. Kagome looked down with disgust. _He had dared to send a puppet to their group on her trust. He would pay. Meanwhile; his puppet would fill his place._

She was immensely angry. _She had welcomed the girl with open arms; only to find that people took advantage of her blind trust. Maybe Sesshomaru was right. Meanwhile though..._

She tightened her grip on Atira's shoulder and called forth a pink sensation to her fingertips; seeping through Atira's body as she sat motionless, until her entire body shone a violent pink.

"Kagome? Whadda you doing?"

"Kagome-sama!"

"Kagome-mama!"

Sango felt her heart leap up to her throat. Here was a person who had gone through the same type of torture she had, for not helping destroy HER village, and Kagome was purifying her. She was utterly shocked.

"Kagome?!" she cried.

But Kagome didn't turn back; and instead, her face also flushing with the same pink light; and her entire body faintly bathed in the light; her eyes glinting with hate; forced more energy through the puppet body of Atira; which was now rising off the ground until it made a queer bursting sound and exploded with the pressure.

Atira hadn't felt a thing. That was because she couldn't feel things. She was a puppet. Of Naraku. And she had been purified until she ceased to exist.

That's what people got if they messed with Kagome's trust.

The body now fell down; ripped and burst apart from the neck and shoulder, mangled, and still glowing a light pink.

Sango was able to reach her first; and before she could be astonished at Kagome, she had to gasp; "There's no blood..."

Sesshomaru, who had been standing to the side said, "She was a puppet, not a living thing at all. When I cut her, I noticed no scent of blood, and no blood. I suspected it from the start." He looked smug at being proven right.

Sango cursed loudly and kicked the body of Atira, lying there, her green kimono looking abstract against Sorai's baby yellow one as she bent over the mangled puppet corpse. It started to decay, however, very soon. The hair and feet began to turn to dust as the wind carried it away, flowed by the torso and the legs. Last to go were the hands and the fingers, slowly picked up by the wind and gone from sight.

Kagome had sat down by now. _That much energy, it had weakened her, it was not a usual easy to call purple; like it was when she was protecting someone or herself, but a hot violent pink, as if her anger had colored her miko powers to make them more...painful if not stronger. Weird. She would have to discuss this later._

_Did you really get that mad?_ A voice in her head asked; sounding like a certain demon lord.

_Well...no...I..._ she stammered, wondering whether to tell him or not.

_Miko powers only change color when in unusually strong emotions; like just now; your became pink; as if you were every angry._

_I was... angry at Naraku for betraying my trust...and for making me believe that Atira was another enemy of his... that stupid coward!_

Sesshomaru looked away_. It isn't the first time her has played with trust and emotions. It seems to be his style._

_Im gonna kill that coward for his 'style!' hmph!_

She was cut off from thinking more by Sorai shoving food in her face. "Eat. You used a lot of power; and you didn't even have breakfast." Kagome smiled gratefully at the figure above her and started eating.

00000000000000000000

Naraku sat in his room, brushing his hair when his puppet statue (a/n; or whatever you call those things) split into half.

He swore. "I took me TWO DAYS to make that! The scent and aura wasn't easy, you know!" he shook his fist at the ceiling.

He spun around; ready to work off his anger when he tripped over his own feet, and fell splat on his face.

He cursed some more.

He tried to get up but slipped and fell right on his butt from the glass of water he knocked over falling the first time.

The swearing was starting get more rated M by the second.

He looked at the contents strewn all over the floor.

"Naraku? Is that you?" a feminine voice called.

He sighed, exasperated. "Yes."

A plump lady poked her head around the door. She looked demon. Very demon. A purple hairstyle, vivid green eyes, and purple doodle markings on her pale skin could not go unnoticed. She seemed to have this circle of power around her; indeed, servants shook when she looked their way.

She came in grabbed Naraku by the ear. "How many times have I told you not to swear? And just look at the mess in your room! That's it mister! You are going to clean this room by nightfall to my standard or be grounded for life!" she screeched in his ear as he just muttered "Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. MY EAR!"

She dropped him with a look of disgust.

"And no servant help!" she screamed as she noticed Naraku beckoning a servant slyly.

"But mother... I don't want to!" he whined; a pitiful look on his face.

"fine." She replied curtly. Then to the servants, "Ataru; call the enchanter to put a barrier over his room; tell him a permanent one. Hatu call the locksmith to put a lock on this door and Tami; I want bars on the window. BY TOMMOROW!" she yelled deafeningly; make everyone shudder.

"you have until then, Naraku. Its high time you learned to clean your room." She walked put, leaving a mourning Naraku.

0000000000000000000000

Review and tell me what you think... I hope I managed to keep this chapter from being TOO heavy, Atira in the beginning, and Kagome in the end...you could help by giving me feedback!

Naraku has a mom! XD! Oh this will be a PLEASURE!

So next time; will Naraku get grounded for life?

Oh and a hint about the next chapter...it will be FULL of roll on the ground laughter! (at least i was rolling on the ground writing it)

I know you probably dont care...but for some reason i feel obliged to tell you that i got A FRIKING **92.5 AVERAGE** in the exams i gave before...i'm SO HAPPY!

Okay, so now...

Air peeps:- nah, its alright,i thought you might be busy...i'm galde you liked the chapters...oh and i really like it when you get the exerts from the story, the parts you liked and all...keep enjoying!

Meshi gohiku:- I do believe that you are going to be the one who keeps this story funny when i'm all out of ideas and just start writing it blandly to the plot...thanx alot for your ideas...though I'm beginning to suspect that 'cause I'm gonna use most of your ideas...thanx again!


	30. Chapter 30

Naraku's Mind Games Naraku's Mind Games

**Lady Fate's beloved**

"It's not fair!" Naraku whined fro the umpteenth time in his room. "Why do I have to clean my damn room?" he asked himself again.

_Oh quit whining and do your work!_ His conscious complained.

Naraku sighed and picked up another kimono off the floor; grouching. _Damn this! I have to clean my room now or be grounded for life! _"I hate you mother!" he screamed in a moment of sheer agony.

"And I love you too darling!" a voice called back from afar.

Naraku glanced at his newly started project. He had only gotten through an eight of the contents littering the floor and it was almost night time. There was everything from books, to underwear, to clothes, to some kind of weird blackish purple glittery stuff in a jar. He picked up the latter; cautiously unscrewing the lid. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. _This stuff smelled!_ He poked his hand at the goop; now a strange more pale color. It coated his hand and he discovered; much to his delight; that he could change his hand's appearance at will. "Wow! A dragon claw; now fish fins or deer hooves or like cat paws!" he exclaimed as a small, handsome man (human) entered the room.

"How's my sunshine doing?" (a/n : I know that sounds weird...but it's all good I think!) he asked Naraku; scraping him into a big bear hug despite the fact that he was rather scrawny.

Naraku made a movement to squirm inside the man's chest. "Fine!" he managed to stammer.

The man let his go. "So, what are you up to, son?"

"Mommy says I have to clean my room!" Naraku pouted; wriggling his eyebrows.

"That you do!" The man exclaimed heartily.

Naraku, seeing that his human father was to be of no help to him now; sighed, and picking him up by the shoulders, dropped him out of the room.

"I just guess Im going to have to abandon the Inu group for now to clean my #&! room!" He was struck across the head by a triumphant looking beaver demon servant by the name of Hatu. Hatu stood there; his brown shiny hair spread all over his forehead in a messy hair cut, a round brown face peering from under. His tail had morphed into a type of armor all around his waist; like a brown, hard skirt. He was wearing a white kimono (a/n I have no idea what guy servants wear...could someone enlighten me?), with the red emblem of Naraku's family servants on it.

"The mistress said I have to keep you from swearing too much and not doing your work." he yawned as Naraku turned an accusing finger on him.

Naraku simmered silently_. First they make him clean his room; and now be controlled by servants! There was a limit!_

"I despise you Hatu! Get outta my room!" Naraku screamed; throwing a tantrum like a deranged child to which Hatu only yawned again.

Hatu looked down (not that Hatu was tall; but Naraku was short! Like a head below Hatu). "Aw, baby Naraku is throwing a tantrum? Don't worry! I'll call up mommy up soon! Don't you worry!" he said; barely controlling his laughter while stroking Naraku's head.

Naraku leapt up, horrified. "No! Not mommy!"

Hatu smiled an evil grin.

Naraku leaped on top of Hatu and covered his mouth. Hatu had a look of amusement in his eyes which made Naraku shudder. He fell backwards, Naraku on top of him. Then using both hands; he tickled Naraku's sides ruthlessly.

Naraku gasped in pain and laughter. "No! Stop it! DADDY!"

Mr. Naraku's dad opened the door. Taking a look at Hatu torturing Naraku; he shook his head. "'tis not my place dear!" he said evilly and sat down on the bed.

"KOHAKU! HELP!" Naraku screeched.

A small head poked around the door. Kohaku had a puzzled look on his face but when he saw the scenario his face broke into a huge grin. "Yes, older brother?" he said; resisting the urge to catcall as Naraku giggled.

"I didn't call you here to ask you stand there? GET THIS DAMN HATU OFF ME!" he bellowed.

Another person was added to the party. Ataru sped up to the doorway of Naraku's room; almost knocking over Kohaku over in the process. "Sorry mister. And Naraku! How many times must you be told not to swear around Kohaku?" he lectured a rolling-on-the-floor-crazily Naraku.

He craned his neck down.

Naraku looked up expectantly. Ataru looked majestic and heroic standing there with his brother torturing Naraku. He was almost his brother's copy; but was an inch taller and had a brown spiral marking on his forehead instead of the vertical stripes by his eyes like his brother had. Ataru's tail was also darker in shade then his brothers; and he was older. But the description did not matter to Naraku. What mattered was the beaver demon lying on him and tickling him to insanity.

Naraku had had it. "**HATU, YOU SON OF A B#, GET THE F OFF ME! EVIL RETARD! STUPID BASTARD! SON OF A S&!"** Naraku's voice floored them all. Hatu stood up; grinning and backed away. Naraku had so conveniently forgotten that Kohaku was in the room and his mother was in the house, in hopes of ending his torture. _Well too bad really_, Hatu thought. _'cause his torture is only beginning._

He stood innocently by the door with his brother while Daddy tried to somehow convince Kohaku to permanently forget those BAD, BAD, OH SO BAD, words.

Naraku's mother raged up the stairs as the beaver brothers took hold of Kohaku and Daddy and did a graceful dolphin dive, under the bed. "This is not for young eyes to see!" Ataru whispered fiercely to Kohaku; who was lying on top his stomach as he was on his back under the bed. (a/n: I know there were no beds in that time Japan, but I couldn't resist adding this)

"What about me?" Daddy complained to Ataru; squeezing through Hatu's death grip.

"You'll have nightmares." Ataru replied coolly.

That shut him up.

Naraku gulped. He knew what was coming. He shuddered thinking of the fury his mother would be in. they had left him to fend for himself. He hated when they deserted him like this; but hen again, in his mother's rages; no one was stupid enough to get in between her and her soon-to-be-dead target.

_At least I'm done cleaned my room_, he thought. He took another look around the room and gasped. _Oh shit!_ He was not stupid enough to say it out loud this time.

_I only did a quarter before that Grrrr... HATU DISTURBED ME!_ He thought; simmering.

He assumed a begging position and put on his most pitiful face complete with eyes brimming with tears, just as his mother stormed in.

"Naraku!" she said in a dangerously calm voice. Ataru covered Kohaku's eyes.

"Im so sorry mother; I didn't mean to but Hatu was tickling me and Kohaku wasn't even here! He's outside!" Naraku blurted everything out; lying through his teeth.

He knew that if his mother somehow believed that Kohaku didn't hear him; he would suffer much less. Its not like she could smell him though. Even his father, or Kohaku, or HE himself had a better nose then enchantress demons. And luckily for him; his mother was from the Ch'onre (A/n: pronounce it Shonr'e) clan, one of the largest sorcerer clans in demon society. Not that it made her weak or anything; she was still pretty strong without her magic. But when it came to smell; Naraku triumphed.

She looked at him suspiciously, then deciding to believe his wide eyes; softened her expression.

"All right dear. But I don't want you swearing. OK?"

"OK! Mommy!" he sat by her with his tongue out like a little lap dog.

She turned and exited. Kohaku leaped out from under the bed as soon as he saw his 'brother' assume a reasonably dignified position. (Not on rolling on the floor)

Naraku breathed a sigh of relief. "Damn that was a close one! Crap! Seriously, she had me scared shitless!"

Sorcerer demons have very poor noses; but their ears were adequate enough. And in this case, Naraku's mother's ears were definitely sharp enough to hear what her son had said. She approached the room again. Ataru leapt for Kohaku; but missed and had to slide under the bed without him.

She threw open the door and stood there; hands on her hips, while Naraku gulped.

"Kohaku! Under the bed! NOW!" he whispered hoarsely. But his mother was too fast for him. She saw Kohaku standing there in his innocent face; and she saw Naraku, looking guilty as hell.

And that's how the whole stupid do-chores-as-penalty-for-swearing-in-Kohakus-presence-and-beg-him-to-forgive-you-before-your-mother-slaughters-you-with-overworking-while-she-sits-there-getting-a peticure-by-Ataru-and-a-manicure-by-Hatu-who-are-silently-trying-to-be-sober-and-hide-their-laughter-at-your-misfourtune punishment came underway.

_Oh how Lady Fate LOVES me!_ Naraku thought dryly.

00000000000000000000000000

"Kohaku! Enough already!" Naraku complained.

Kohaku smiled evilly. _He had no intention of forgiving his big brother just yet. He would get his punishment._

Naraku stood to the side and reviewed his position. Not good. Kohaku still hadn't forgiven him yet; and the house had never looked cleaner.

_Why did I capture Kohaku in the first place? Oh, yeah...for the slayer...but hat was before mom and dad found out about him hidden in the servant quarters and fell in LOVE with him. Then suddenly I wake up one day and he is my (adopted) brother! They're in love with the little guy! Look at them!_

_It makes me sick; all the cooing and Ugh! I sure wouldn't want to be in his place right now!_ Naraku thought; stroking his hair.

Kohaku ran over. "Tell you what, bro, I'll forgive you if you agree to play with me! OK?"

Naraku looked up from his work. He saw no trickery on Kohaku's face; just innocence, and enjoyment. "Fine." He grumbled; trying to hide the relief that still flooded into his voice.

He dashed upstairs with Kohaku. "So; what do you want to do?" he asked once they were seated on Naraku's bedroom floor.

"I dunno; how 'bout we annoy someone?" Kohaku responded.

Naraku grinned. You could never tell Kohaku was adopted.

"Who?"

"Well...how about Ataru? Or Hatu? Maybe Tari?"

"The Golden Oldie?"

"Sure!"

They snuck peeked outside the door. Tari was there; his pale hand clutching a tray.

"What do we do?" Kohaku whispered.

Naraku grinned. "The oldest trick in the book!"

"Oh hell yeah!"

Naraku stared at him. "what?" Kohaku asked, squirming under Naraku's penetrating, unbelieving gaze.

"You...swore..." Naraku managed weakly. He had started to brainstorm his will.

Kohaku covered his mouth. "Oops! Ok...you never heard that!" he said; and smiled sheepishly. Naraku felt like slamming his head on the wall. Repeatedly.

_Here was the reason he wasn't allowed to swear and being constantly punished for it, swearing himself! This is outrageous! Life is unfair...a wise man's words came back to him. He wanted to go and shoot the man with pointed needles while he crucified him right now. If he could find him. Life is soooo unfair! There was there that positively malevolent expression again! Gah! Why was that person after his BLOOD?!_

"um...Bro Naraku?" Kohaku tapped his shoulder hesitantly when he saw Naraku was pounding the floor. "**WHAT DO YOU WANT NOW?**" Naraku screamed. Today was not his day. Because Kohaku was feeling sarcastic.

"what I want? A whole shit load of stuff...my Xmas list... Oh crap, I swore again, didn't I? Twice? Gah! Crap! OH no! Crud! HOLY SHIT WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?" Kohaku yelled, panicking and clasping his hands over his mouth. Naraku cried harder.

"Ok, I need to divert my self! Um... royal swan torture?" he said a bit hysterically; ready to do anything to keep himself form swearing again. He went out and stuck his foot out in the way of a passing majestic, forever graceful Tari. What a surprise. He didn't look all too graceful falling splat on his face spilling tea all over the floor and himself. He gave an acute stare to Kohaku who squirmed and ran back inside.

After locking the door; Kohaku sat down by a still pouting Naraku. "So, what do we do now?" he asked after a moment' silence.

Naraku pondered over the question. They couldn't go out of the room for fear being murdered by Tari who Kohaku gracefully tripped. They could stay here and die of brain starvation (boredom)...or they could torture someone. But who?

Naraku gasped. He had been so stupid. _THE INU GROUP WHO ELSE?! All he had to do was to make sure that Kohaku didn't see Sango from up close; and Kohaku would carry on his legacy of torture when he was murdered by his mother one day! Perfect!_

"Hey Kohaku? Wanna torture someone?" Naraku asked; springing up, a mischievous look in his eye.

"Hell yeah...damn...shit...WHAT THE CRAP AGAIN?!"

Naraku stifled a laugh. "I think it's best if you keep your mouth shut for now; or like get killed by mom. Or rather you'd get me killed, and go have fun with your plushies! At least be quiet until you get over your little swearing phase!" _Oh god this will be a VERY difficult time for my survival in this house...why must Lady Fate detest me?_

Coming out of his reverie; Naraku called Kohaku over to his side table, where the little white stone was placed. "Behold, Kohaku, the little white stone!" he added a flourish in his voice. "Huh?" was Kohaku's reply. "Its a little white rock, Naraku." He said, matter-of-factly.

"I know its a little white rock."

If you know it's a little white rock then why are you so..."

"So what?"

"So cooing over the little white rock!"

"I do not coo." Naraku said, as dignified as possible.

"Over little white rocks, yes you do."

"Do not."

"Over the little white rock!"

"Will you stop saying that already?"

"What?"

"Little white rock!"

"Why?"

"It's annoying!"

"Really?"

"YES!"

"I will not say little white rock again. Not another little white rock shall come out of this throat. Not another little white rock shall pass these lips!"

Naraku grunted; annoyed. "It keeps passing those lips!"  
"What? Mine?"

"Yes!"

"Did another little white rock pass these lips again? Another little white rock? Did it?" Kohaku was enjoying himself immensely.

Naraku groaned. _What does everyone see in this guy? Sango is willing to sacrifice her life for him, and mom and dad are obsessed with him! Am i the only one sane left?!_

He hopped over to the other side of the bed and stroked the rock. At once it's white complexion cleared and it showed a grassy road. The outer edges of the image were turned, as if looking through half opened eyes. Kohaku gasped. "Wow...holy-" he gave a grateful glance to Naraku who had held his hand over Kohaku's mouth; and not a moment too soon.

"Yep, I know it's awesome...just watch how we torture these people next!"

"Are they like your enemies or something?" Kohaku asked. He still did have a conscious that didn't like mindless pain.

"Um...yeah...that guy!" he pointed to Inuyasha walking with Kagome on his back. "Um... he was my worst enemy in school!" Naraku lied. _If he didn't come up with something that Kohaku could comprehend and understood; he was in for it. In for what you ask. In for HELL. From his family. So best make up a tale..._

"What did he do to you?" Kohaku asked; curious.

"Um...he...cut off my hair and ...um...Then stole my lunch! That evil idiot!" He was lucky. Kohaku had bough every comma of his lie, and now had a look of sympathy on his face when he looked at Naraku.

"and that girl on his back; well she used to make faces at me all the time and that guy, the one with the awesome hair-"

"Irresistible." Kohaku interrupted.

"Alluring."

"Amazing."

"Splendid."

"Cool."

"Remarkable."

"Awe-inspiring."

"Shiny."

"Long."

"Silky."

"Glossy."

"Sleek."

"Lustrous..."

"Radiant"

"Fabulous.."

"Extraordinary..."

"Drool-able"

"-hair!" Naraku finished. "Well, yes, him, he's that evil lunch stealer's brother. He deserves to be tortured too...he...um... pushed me off a cliff once!"

Kohaku's eyes widened. "Off a cliff?" he asked, dumbstruck. "Well, it was more like a pile of books...but anyway!" he snapped to attention.

Trying to avoid the pity Kohaku was practically flinging at him; Naraku proceeded to explain how exactly they were to torture the Lord and the miko this fine day.

By the time he was finished; Kohaku had tears of joy in his eyes.

So Naraku willed Ugly Bunny to swap them.

**START OF EVENTS WITHIN THE LITTLE WHITE STONE**

The Inu group was walking down the road; as usual. A very treacherous road it was; complete with the scorching sun and everything. Inuyasha, Kagome and Kouga were walking side by side. Sesshomaru was ahead with Sorai trailing him. Sango and Miroku were at the very back; with Shippo and Kirara with them.

There was complete silence for once in the normally very rowdy group. Kagome was humming something and everyone else was lost in their thoughts, staring into space.

Then Kagome started to softly sing the lyrics, breaking the silence, looking as though completely enjoying herself. Although her voice was quite low; it was full of energy and happiness.

Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I know that you like me

Kouga and Inuyasha both looked her way.

No way! No way!  
No, it's not a secret  
Hey! Hey! You! You!  
I want to be your girlfriend

"What the?" escaped them.

You're so fine  
I want you mine  
you're so delicious

"Really?" Kouga asked. Inuyasha blushed and looked away pointedly.

I think about ya all the time  
you're so addictive  
Don't you know what I could do to make you feel alright?

Inuyasha was turning redder by the passing second; and Kouga was grinning like an idiot. Kagome still hadn't noticed she was singing out loud, however quietly.

Don't pretend I think you know I'm damn precious  
And Hell Yeah  
I'm the #& princess

Inuyasha grumbled, "And she says I swear!"

I can tell you like me too and you know I'm right

Inuyasha for some very strange reason was looking relieved.

I can see the way, I see the way you look at me  
And even when you look away I know you think of me

Inuyasha was staring at her now. _How the hell does she know all that? Oh well...just saved me the trouble of telling her!_ He thought happily.

I know you talk about me all the time again and again  
So come over here, tell me what I want to hear

Kouga scooted closer while Inuyasha tried to make it look like he was moving further though he actually closed in.

Better yet make your girlfriend disappear

"I don't even have a girlfriend!" Inuyasha and Kouga whispered simultaneously to Kagome; who was still in her reverie.

In a second you'll be wrapped around my finger  
Cause I can, cause I can do it better  
There's no other  
So when's it gonna sink in?  
She's so stupid  
What the hell were you thinking?!

"Who?" kouga and Inuyasha both asked softly.

And the next thing Kohaku and Naraku saw; was Sesshomaru (or his body anyway) singing.

Sorai was looking at him; dumbstruck, and Inuyasha and Kouga were still staring at Kagome (or her body).

Kisb continued singing.

You're so fine  
I want you mine  
You're so delicious

Sorai looked away.

I think about ya all the time  
You're so addictive  
Don't you know what I could do to make you feel alright?

Now Sorai was worried as well as blushing a seashell pink. She liked him saying that about her (obviously it was about her!), but maybe he wasn't feeling that good... the entire song absolutely CLASHED against his personality... heart pounding she tapped him on the shoulder.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" she whispered apprehensively.

Kisb opened her eyes. "You don't have to call me lord...hey hey you..." she said, not really paying attention.

Sorai almost fainted when she heard that.

Too bad really all moments have to end. Kisb just caught up to her own her words. "What...lord?...pft...ak! I'm HIM again!" she said for only Sorai to hear. She caught up immediately.

Sorai couldn't help feeling let down...she had seriously believed that Sesshomaru was saying that to her. _This isn't funny!_ She thought; a bit sad at her own high flying expectation's sharp downfall. _Here she was, all hopeful, and only turned out to be Kagome!! Why? Not fair! I... was...so...happy..._ if it weren't for her demon mask she would have been crying right now. She looked pointedly straight ahead; trying not to think.

Meanwhile, behind them, Kouga and Inuyasha were still glancing back at kagome now and then. Then Kouga decide to take matters in his own hands. He put his arm around Sikb; grinning at a furiously jealous Inuyasha. Sikb perked up; but before he time to anything; Kouga looked straight in the eye with a look of affection and tapping Kagome's chin; said, "What are you talking about? You know you're the only one for me!"

That caught sikb off guard. He spluttered and pushing off Kouga's arm, shuddered and then spluttered some more. "What the? Get your arm off me wolf, or your arm won't be attached to your shoulder, next time you look." He said in a dangerously cold voice. Kouga looked heartbroken, while Inuyasha, who had realized what had happened; tried to stifle his laughs.

Kouga continued "I'm sorry Kagome, I didn't mean to rush you." He patted a glaring Sikb's shoulder and continued walking; looking away deliberately, a look of pure sadness on his the wolf's handsome features. (a/n: yeah, I know, he's a rival, but a good looking one!)

Inuyasha was still sniggering uncontrollably to the side until Sikb looked at him and asked, "Inuyasha, do you insist upon giggling like little girl 24/7?" Inuyasha snorted. _It sounded so funny coming from Kagome!_ (Or her body)

Inuyasha tripped over his own feet and fell in front of sikb.

Sikb knelt down. "You know what, next time spend all of your concentration on walking straight." And delicately stepped over Inuyasha and sniffed. _Wow kagome must really be mad at Inuyasha...despite my shooing...this does increase my chances with Kagome..._

Sikb groaned. Why _must being kagome be so... difficult? Now the wolf was probably going to go and commit suicide...not that he cared but Kagome would 'fluffy' him to eternity. Speaking of subduing...time to have a bit of fun._

"Going to sit?" he asked Sorai innocently. Inuyasha, just as Sorai had shifted back, had shifted foreword to be with Kisb. Kouga was still oblivious to the whole swap. Inuyasha did a face plant in the ground upon hearing his word.

_Ugh...Sesshomaru! Bastard!_

He smirked.

_Whddya do that for?_

_I'm trying to amuse myself here, seeing as you people are the least amusing life forms on the planet._

She glared at him.

_Wow...my glare is really intimidating isn't it? Too bad it doesn't work on its real master._

_Aren't you in high spirits?_

_I'm sitting my brother. I see why it turns you on... who can not be in high spirits while subduing him?_

_Ah... drunk on the power of the rosary aren't you?_

_Quite.. say... want to stop now?_

_That's a new one. You're asking me to stop?_

_Seeing that you are ahead, then yes._

_Well since you are changing your role, I will too. No._

_Reason?_

_Because I simply get satisfaction with making you as frustrated as you make me._

_You have no idea._

_I have many of them._

_Of what?_

_Ideas!_

_Look, are you going to stop or not? _

_Hm... let me think. No!_

_I was waiting for that miko._ He raised his voice and said, "Fluffy!"

Kisb ended up acquainted with the floor.

_Isn't your reputation going when you subdue your won body? After all Sorai is here..._

_No. She knows it's me here._ And with that he headed off track, the rest following( except Inuyasha and Kisb who were still on the ground.)

**END OF EVENTS WITHIN THE LITTLE WHITE STONE**

Naraku and Kohaku were under the bed, tears sliding out of their eyes; on their elbows and knees. Bu the tears were not of sadness. On the contrary, they were tears of joy. The joy gotten in watching another episode of kagome-sesshomaru switch-o-rama.

"That was... so...funny!" Kohaku gasped for the umpteenth time.

"I...know..." Naraku panted back, also for the umpteenth time. "Getting everyone subdued is sooo much fun!"

"Yep! THE POWER OF THE ROSARY!" he laughed.

Playing in the background as Naraku and Kohaku froliced in the sunny flower filled fields...

F is friends who do stuff together...

U is for u and ME!...

N is for anywhere anytime at all here in the deep blue sea...

Dum dum daddum dum dumdum dumudum dum dum dum daaa dum...

But Naraku and Kohaku were too busy laughing the sanity out of themselves to notice it...even when prancing in the friendship fields...

00000000000000000000000000000

Hatu knocked on the bedroom door. "The mistress is calling you down to dinner." He said his mouth right by the door. _Strange...Naraku is always hungry... he usually doesn't even have to be called! _

He entered the room to see Kohaku's and Naraku's legs protruding out from under the bed. He smirked. _Oh he loved his job._

He went over and kicked Naraku's foot with his boot. Hard. Thump. It jet in fast, causing a certain person's knee to hit the bottom of the bed. Another thump was heard. Then when Naraku tried to get up really fast; stupidly forgetting where he was, a third satisfying thump was heard when his skull crashed into the bottom of the bed.

Hatu sniggered as he kindly helped Kohaku out form under the bed.

Naraku finally resurfaced. "Damn you.." he began, but stopped abruptly at the sight of Hatu pointing to Kohaku. Hatu was right. Kohaku was already having a fierce swearing phase without him teaching him more word to add to the list.

"Come downstairs for dinner." Hatu said, and then exited.

After a moment of Naraku rubbing his head, knee AND foot (quite hard to do at once), the door swung open.

This time a fierce looking maid entered. The part of her that looked like a maid was the robes, other wise it was dictator all the way. Naraku shuddered and Kohaku cowered behind him.

"Master Naraku. The mistress has requested your presence at the dinner table."

She said boldly.

Naraku examined the figure standing in front of him. Now this was SCARY. Se had a crude greenish yellow hair color with a sharp cut up to her chin. Her eyes were piercingly green and her pale skin had no markings to show she was a demon. Her aura though...man, her aura was a different thing altogether! It was twinged with... a feeling that she was not be messed with, and extremely pungent. She smelled strongly of sharp wild berries and an immensely fast waterfall, rough and strong.

"Yeah...coming..." he said meekly. "Who are you?"

"My apologies." She said, looking all the more terrifying, her shoulders at a proud height, not by any circumstances sorry.

"I am known as Katana. I am newly employed in your household."

Without waiting for an answer, she turned around, did a Nazi salute, and as exiting said coldly, "Have a good life."

That was scary. Kohaku asked, "Does that mean she id going to kill us, or is she just weird in that way?"

Naraku shook his head and laughed shakily. "I honestly have no frikin' idea..."

_Lady Fate adores me so much that she's given me yet ANOTHER thing to fear in my own household...I don't want your love! You hear that ya B&?_

And an erratic laughing sound was heard, then, _Oh now, Naraku, darling...I can never forget you! You're my beloved!_

0000000000000000000

Lady Fate's beloved...That was a good one! This was a LONG chapter (12 PAGES!); but funny (I hope). People are seriously obsessed with Sesshomaru's hair; aren't they? I don't blame them! Was this chapter funny? Do you think I gave a good insight into Naraku's day?

Did anyone notice that Katana's name means sword, or blade? She is really sharp and like...strong so I thought that would fit now matter how weird it sounds.

I hope this makes up for the gaps I've been taking with Naraku during the story..if not...forgive me!

Oh, and you might have guessed by now... I LOVE SPONGEBOB! Does anyone else here think he's brilliant despite being made for five year olds?

Please give me some answers here! **It's what makes or breaks me people! Please!**

And another thing, i out up a one shot called 'inuyasha meets lice shampoo'. Please read it and tell me how it is!

Note :- Naraku and Kohaku do not know about the mind reading ability, they did not hear anything in italics. The rest, yes, they enjoyed.

Ah. Yes... to keep AlOT of unwanted things off my back:-

**DISCALIMER: I do not own Inuyasha, Avril Lavinge's song 'girlfriend' or Sponge Bob or his "F is for fun' song. Pity. Life is just SO unfair! Naraku should really get around to killing that old geezer already...**

Another thing:-

Airpeeps:- dont worry...i wont kill you...until you've died of laughter that is! Hope you liked the chapter, and keep the reviews coming!

Meshi gohiku:- seriously, where the hell do you come up with the ideas? They really are helpful...ok, so right now im like four chapters ahead of what i post so dont mind if your ideas take a while to show up! Thanx again for being such an awesome reviewer!

4-ever disturbed:- thanx, glad you liked it. I was kinda wondering why you didnt review on the last one, you do usually review on every chapter, AND I LOVE IT!

Thanx again!


	31. Chapter 31

Naraku's mind games

**Naraku's mind games**

**Why the National Geographic channel SHOULD have been founded five hundred years ago...**

National Geographic channel

_Man speaking:-_

_Recent research has lead to the theory that a certain intoxicating fruit tree plant first found in Africa has had roots in Japan too. Scientists from the university of Windsor have found traces of extinct organic tree matter they believe was alive about six hundred years ago. That tree; they say; went extinct in Japan due to climate change. The fruits of this particular tree have been proven to have as strong effect on the body's nervous system and the brain; comparable to other substances such as wine when dissolved in water._

Back with the Inu group

_**Oh dear lord**__._

_Referring to me, miko?_

_No. I was referring to the god who is going to put you in hell if you don't stop right now._

_Demon glade is a day off. We can cut it to half a day if we pick up the pace in this very slow group._

_Do you want me to make you stop like I did that time?_

He pulled over.

_That's better now!_

_Don't get too confident, miko._

_No need to fret over me; Sesshomaru! You're such a darling to worry about me all the time._

_I'm not even going to grace that with an answer._

A shout was heard from behind.

"Kagome!"

She turned back as Sesshomaru steered off to find a suitable tree.

"Yes Kouga?" she asked. "Are we stopping here for tonight?" she nodded. He led her to the side. "Kagome...what you were singing that day...you did mean it right?" _you sounded so good..._

"What day?"

"Yesterday... You were singing a song, and then you got offended at shouted at me... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that... I mean if the hanyou still scares you, then I'll kill him if you want me to, alright?" _Oh...That stupid Hanyou! I'll kill him. He's not letting Kagome show that she loves me...she does love me, right? She has to love me...I'll die if she doesn't..._

Kagome gave a nervous laugh. She had an idea what had happened yesterday, related by a very enthusiastic Inuyasha, but hadn't gotten around to talking to kouga yet. "Um...You see... That was Sesshomaru."

"What? Switching bodies? Singing too?" _Was he like singing for Sorai or something? They really do look cute together...as cute as that deathwish can get..._

"Yeah...who knew he liked to sing so much?" she felt this little lie would be much better then explaining to Kouga that it was just a song and not a declaration of her love for who knows who.

He gave a laugh and hugged her. Kagome tried backing away but realized she wasn't going anywhere and stayed there. He let her go quickly, and smiled at her.

_What would I ever do without you..._

She smiled back half heartedly just as Inuyasha came running up; face red. He didn't say anything but rather swung her on his back abruptly and carried her away; Kouga grinning from the back and beginning to follow.

"You'll never catch me wolf!" Inuyasha howled back; now enjoying playing the catch-Kagome-game.

Inuyasha was too busy looking back to notice that Kouga had pulled up in front of him; causing him to run smack into him and quickly took Kagome and carried her in his arms as he raced around, chased by Inuyasha.

"Oh come on you guys! Please put me down! This is getting tiring and now I'm hungry! Kouga! Inuyasha! Let me go! Someone help! Sango, Miroku! Sorai?

Anyone?"

Miroku looked on. "So who do you think is going to save Kagome now?" he asked Sango. "Well, not you or me because we are having too much fun watching.." she said evilly. "And Sorai!" she called to the wind dragon who was heading off to save Kagome. "Don't save her. She's having fun with the guys...see? Screaming in joy!" Sorai raised her eyebrows but deciding it would be far more amusing to watch, stayed there.

"NO! SANGOOOO!" Kagome screamed as Inuyasha gently whisked her out of Kouga's grip.

"Stop screaming Kagome!" _really, that's loud...my poor ears..._

Kagome giggled and reaching over, touched them.

_...my very lucky ears now...that feels good...mmm... now I know why Buyo likes being tickled under the ears..._ he thought as Kagome ticked him some more.

_Why don't you subdue them miko?_

_Ah... didn't think of that! Thanks Sesshomaru!_

Unluckily for her she didn't notice the smirk he had on his face right after this suggestion.

Just as she was about to subdue both of them for the cause of eating something; Kouga whiskered her away form Inuyasha's ears. So her voice came out like "want, siiiit! Aghhhhh!"

And for the who-knows-how-many-times already, Kagome again found herself the weight of two subdued people. As she was in the middle of the when she subdued them, she was stuck in the middle, with their shoulders pinning her arms and legs. All that was free was her face (thankfully) and her torso.

She wanted to scream. _This was simply not fair! How many times had this happened? Goddammit! What the... Get the hell off me you freaks!!_

But what she really said was, "Inuyasha, Kouga, you're kinds squishing me..."

They both tried to support their weight on their arms and legs, as to leave her free. But the subduing charm didn't really work like that. The rosary's around both of their necks simply glowed again, and pushed them into the ground and a very pissed Kagome.

"Kagome..." Kouga began tentively, meaning to apologize... but Kagome just muttered, "No comments Kouga. We are waiting this out in complete SILENCE. Understand?", she dared them to remark upon her decision. Inuyasha and Kouga gulped, wondering what had gotten into her.

_Miko, you might want to get away from them for sometime._

_Oh no... I love lying here, helpless...pinned under the both of them heavy freaks!_

_Ah! In that case, good luck._

_For what?_

_Don't try reading their minds... they are getting...ideas..._

"WHAT?!" Kagome screamed, forgetting that she had a MENTAL conversation with Sesshomaru, and there were one and a half demons lying on top of her with extremely sensitive hearing.

"NOTHING!" she yelled at Inuyasha's and Kouga's inquisitive stares and rubbing of ears.

Sesshomaru smirked. As said before, Kagome was more amusing then she knew...

She of course, like Inuyasha, excelled at paying no heed to other's comments and at once started to read the minds of the two people she was currently, unfortunately pinned underneath.

_Kouga, what the hell did you do to your hair...its all rough, like how long ago have you washed it?_

_Inuyasha you twit; I wonder why you keep your hair long... doesn't it get in the way or anything...or like feel girly?_

_This is so damn not fair! My bastard brother had a fluffy tail that he can touch all the time, Kouga the moron has a tail he can touch all the time...or not...and I GET DOG EARS! Goddammit!! I want a tail too...I can't even touch my ears without looking __**really**__ demented..._

_Are not!_ She thought, wishing she could stick her tongue at Sesshomaru without eating Inuyasha's hair. That had happened once before on one of her squished-under –a-subdued-person adventures...she liked Inuyasha's hair...but eating it...(shudders)...anyway... They wouldn't...they're nice...right?

_I got you there._

_As a matter of fact you are quite a jittery human. Nervous too..._

_You idiotic bastard!_

_Mind your language._

_Rin isn't even here, and couldn't hear us if she were!_

_You are addressing a Lord._

_Pft. Like I care._

_I see Inuyasha has rubbed off you too much. Literally,_ he thought surveying the hanyou struggling not to hurt her with his weight.

_SHUT UP!_

_Last I recalled, I wasn't saying anything._

_Wait a sec... you're the moronic, leg pulling, treacherous, mutant disgrace to salamander whelps that told me to subdue them in the first place!_

_That is quite an ingenious one...disgrace to salamander whelps...fits Inuyasha perfectly... must remember to use it..._

Kagome groaned. _Why the hell was this certain dog demon lord so damn aggravating?! He was worse then Naraku!? Well...maybe not...gotta give him points for the hair..._

After a long and extremely annoying silence the charm finally wore off. Kouga was off in a second, pulling Inuyasha off and helping her up. Brushing her skirt, "thanks.." she gave a strained smiled to both of them and then ran over to the opposite end of the field. There was NO WAY she was getting involved this time. Quite far away from her target, she raised her voice and yelled, "FLUFFY!"

She was pleased to find herself upright, and a certain a VERY annoying demon Lord face down in the dirt. _Score! I guess my luck just doesn't let me subdue them from up-close...oh well..._

She wandered off to the smell of cooking rabbit (courtesy Miroku).

After a uneventful dinner (as uneventful as this group could get; which included Inuyasha getting sat for swearing around Shippo, another very interesting mental conversation, an almost unconscious monk, angry Sango, Kouga getting subdued for trying to egg Inuyasha into a fight in the middle of dinner, Sorai and Sesshomaru having a VERY boring conversation about the state of his castle...boring to everyone but Inuyasha and Kagome who kept on sending amused glances toward Sesshomaru. Needless to say he tried to attack Inuyasha after that and that resulted in his getting 'fluffied'. And all this through dinner. The rabbit would get insulted. Or rather rabbits...they ate alot too... Sheesh people cant you eat in peace?!) Sango wandered off to fetch water. There was a pond not too far away with an odd looking tree hanging over it. She ignored her surroundings as she focused on getting water in a plastic bucket Kagome had gotten from her era.

The bucket smelled of new plastic, but since most things from Kagome's era smelled like this, Sango shrugged it off and scooped up water to carry it back to a very thirsty group. The rabbits had been quite dry...

"Finally Sango! That took you forever!" a voice rang out.

Sighing, she poured everyone water. "Wait." Sesshomaru halted them. "What is this queer smell coming form the water?" he asked suspiciously eyeing them all.

"Probably the smell of the plastic bucket." Inuyasha offered. Sesshomaru shrugged. Fine with him.

Inuyasha was right. Partly. There was some smell of the bucket...but also some of the intoxicating fruit that had fallen in the pond and dissolved. National geographic channel should have been invented five hundred years ago...wine-like affects indeed...Oh wow... (a/n: once again... I AM EVIL!! MUWAHAHA!!)

000000000000000000000000000000

Almost at once, Miroku felt a burning desire to drink more...it tasted just like normal water...but so GOOD for some reason. He hiccupped and put his glass forward. "Fill!" he said a bit woozily and fuzzily noticed that everyone else was also drinking way more water then usual.

Over to his left, the dog brothers and the wolf with Shippo on his shoulder, showed the effects a bit later, but nevertheless, they did appear.

Sesshomaru noticed something wrong...he didn't have the usual control over his body and mind...it wandered freely (his mind not his body). _Hm...this water tastes good...what...water? Tasting good?...I think there was something in this drink...or in bunny rabbit I ate...Heh bunny rabbit...I remember what Inuyasha said to me for that one! And that positively amusing game of 'spin the bottle' as the miko called it...spin...pin...Rin...OMG! Where is Rin?_ He looked around a bit frantically before remembering that Rin was in his castle.

_Oh...yeah...Rin is with jaken...Jaken...that demon green toad...toad...load...road...hm...I wonder how much road is left to demon glade...glade...shade...blade...I really should teach Inuyasha how to wield that blade of his...and how to shave properly...he doesn't have a barber like I do and is getting scruffy_ (a/n: he wasn't, it just looked like it to Sesshomaru's drunk eyes, I wouldn't make Inuyasha scruffy_!)...scruffy...puffy...duffy...fluffy...OMG I HAVE A FLUFFY TAIL! _

Let's leave the drunk lord to his fantasies. He was however sober enough to know that he wasn't feeling good, and refrained from moving to prevent loss of control over his body. His thoughts were a different thing altogether.

Meanwhile, Kagome was reading his thoughts, but her own were too screwed up to think anything about them. Casting a glance across, she thought woozily _hmm...Inuyasha has cute ears...like a dog...or buyo...I wonder what he's doing right now..._

_Who?_

_Buyo._

_Who?_

_My cat Sesshy..._

Sesshomaru didn't even notice her nickname for him_. You have a cat?_

_Yep he's really fat...like Inuyasha..._

_Inuyasha is fat?_

_No..._

_You just said..._

_Did I?_

_Yes...yes...no...low...slow... Inuyasha eats so slow!_

_Does not...does he?_

_I dunno...hey, is this cat like a cat cat or a demon cat?_

_Like Kilala?_

_What like Kilala?_

_Where is Kilala?_

_Over there._

_She's so cute!_

_I never thought you'd be thinking that, Sesshy..._

_She is...all small and fluffy...I should get a demon firecat for Rin...she doesn't have a pet..._

_Isn't Jaken her pet?_

_He hardly qualifies as cute...unless I'm beating the shit out of him, he's not pitiful either..._

_Why do you?_

_Do what?_

_Beat the crap out of him?_

_It's fun._

_Oh. I imagine it is._

_You bet it is! Even Rin thinks its fun..._

_Rin has good taste..._

_Not all the time... I mean she doesn't even like smoked deer! Smoked deer is the best thing in the world! It's all smoky...and smoky...and deer!_

_Uhuh..._

_Smoky deer...smoky deer...me love smoky deer..._ (a/n: yes, Sesshy drank quite alot of 'water'! XD!)

He suddenly yelled out really loud, "ME LOVE SMOKY DEER!"

But most other life forms around him were too stoned themselves to care. That is except for Sorai. Haven refused water, she was more thankful then ever she wasn't thirsty. As she observed the surroundings, she quickly concluded the water was the culprit and threw the water that was left in the bucket on the ground, to the dismay of Miroku, who wailed.

She sighed. _Great, now she was stuck with her drunk crush and a whole hoard of drunken people. Not that most of them acted more mature when not drunk...but still...Just her luck..._

Sorai sighed again. _This was going to be one LONG night...but if she remembered correctly...Kagome did keep that cam-eer-a thing in her bag...she should be able to operate it right? It shouldn't be too hard...she had seen her do it once...while taking a picture of Miroku drooling while he slept to ridicule him. Well if ridiculing was all it was used for...then...hehe...well, she had to do __**something**__ to keep herself occupied...right? She was going to make a moving picture of them all, and let them all see it all later...oh boy... this is gonna be fun!_

She was so ecstatic about the prospect of having a bit of fun, that she felt that she too was intoxicated before she checked herself for signs for the water. _Nop, her throat was still dry and she could think straight...mostly...if one didn't notice the warped ideas about the camera...oh boy..._

Sorai grinned like a mischievous child. _Oh boy oh boyboyoboyoboyboy...awesome!_

She rummaged through Kagome's bag off to the side. After a few seconds she found what she wanted...needed, as well as a bottle of coke which she tasted and like immensely, as well as a permanent marker. She figured that the marker would have some use...shrugging, she tucked it under her robes as she cautiously lifted the cover off the camera, careful not to scratch it with her claws. On the silver contraption, she saw a large black button with on/off written on it in neat kanji.

(a/n: lets just pretend that cameras do have kanji written on them)

She pressed it cautiously and felt a surge of triumph as the lens came out, with a curious groan. She flipped to the way she had seen Kagome hold it, with the button up. She peered closer. A button said video. _Hmm... maybe what they called moving pictures? _She pressed the button, holding her breath. She didn't want to wreck anything but some of this group's pride.

At once, from behind a black spot lightened and she could see what was in front of her through there_. Incredible! This was amazing!_ She wondered vaguely where Kagome got items like this...next she pressed a button which said 'flash.' A beep sound was heard. Cursing under her breath, she pressed the button which said 'start/stop' another beep was heard. The letters flashed across the screen and said, 'recording now!'

She cackled in triumph. _Hah! She did it! This was no biggie! She could figure this out, piece of cake!_

She turned to the group, and recorded them for all she was worth; pausing to make sure they didn't hurt themselves **too** badly. Oh hehehehe...

00000000000000000000000000000

The next morning, they all woke up in very awkward positions. Sorai was on top of a tree, looking dignified, despite the fact dragon demons weren't meant to climb trees and she was scared stiff before she fell asleep.

Miroku was sleeping with his back resting on Kouga's, while Kouga clutched the monk's staff. Sesshomaru was resting somewhat gracefully with Inuyasha on his yards of tail, wrapped up and snuggling in the fluff. Sango was asleep with Shippo and Kagome, up the other tree, (no matter how they had gotten there). Shippo was on top Sango and Kilala was on top on Kagome, who was sleeping next to Sango, on a nearby branch.

Sorai, now fully awake, chuckled. She whipped out the camera and took a full survey of the sleeping arrangements focusing on Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. _They look so cute together! _She thought sweetly. _Awww...the demon brothers..._she even took a few non moving pictures of them in that pose. She cautiously jumped down, but ended up almost losing her balance anyway. Dragons were definitely not meant for trees.

She decided that they could set out a bit late today, and went off to freshen up (not with THAT pond water) and hunt_. If her lord wanted smoked deer, smoked deer he would get._ She smirked. _Oh yes..._

When she returned about an hour later; (the deer seemed to be sparse here) everyone was still asleep, excluding Kilala. The firecat jumped on her shoulder as she set the deer on the fire.

_Let all hell break forth!_ She thought roguishly as she nudged Kouga first with her elegant toe.

"hmm... Kagome stop it...dog breath...get away from her..." she kicked him, effectively knocking him over, and Miroku, who was leaning on his back, on top of him, marker on his face saying 'I am a lech' (courtesy Sorai last night). They both woke up, now totally sober. Kouga started to say something looking at Miroku's face but Sorai signaled him to be quiet and pointed to the other members of the group. First Kagome, Shippo and Sango and then the brothers. Miroku burst out into silent peals of laughter, while Kouga struggled to keep his face straight, failing miserably and ending up with a goofy grin.

Sorai pushed them in the corner and signaled them to stay put while she quietly made her way to the sleeping brothers. Some things had to be done right, personally. She kneeled by Inuyasha, who had one hand under his head, and the other on the luxurious fur that was currently wrapped around him. She tapped him on the shoulder once, then on the nose. He opened his eyes slowly, to see a blurry Sorai, kneeling over him, in a yellow kimono with pink spangled stripes (always yellow!). "whaa is it?" he asked slurrily.

That was before of course, he noticed where he was. Then Inuyasha being Inuyasha, he freaked out and jumped five feet in the air, fruitfully pulling Sesshomaru's tail; still wrapped around him; up with him. This of course gave the lord a sudden jerk, which helped him wake up, along with Inuyasha's continuous stream of cuss words.

He rubbed his eyes to see his younger brother, looking extremely shocked with his tail wrapped around him...what else was new?...wait...that was HIS TAIL!

He yanked the fluffy thing back form Inuyasha, who was still in the air, causing him to spin around and round in the air like a top, as well as pulled him down, successfully making him lose balance completely and fall down **hard** in sitting position.

The spectators (Miroku and Kouga) were still overcome with silent jeers. Miroku wiped tears out of his eyes_. Oh god...help me live through these two..._then he caught sight of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha looking at them murderously...in a much more sober tone..._oh god! Help me live through these two..._

Sorai created a wind barrier between the soon-to-be-offenders and the VERY-miffed-offended. Although Sesshomaru could the break through the wind barrier if he tried and Inuyasha could get through with tetsuiga, they both just snarled as Sorai reminded them that it was an honest mistake that the water was intoxicating, and besides, (she laughed) they looked so cute, brothers like that!

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha calmed. Noticing that the sudden change in temperament; Sorai dropped the barrier and pointed to Sango and Kagome, on top of the tree. Sango was lying on her boomerang laid across two branches. How they had gotten up there, drunk, with Shippo and that humongous boomerang; that was a mystery.

Inuyasha stared at Miroku's face. He burst into laughter and nudged his brother towards him. Sesshomaru smirked and muttered, "Well, the truth shows on some people's face sometimes..."

"Could you please go and get them?" Sorai asked Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, diverting their attention form Miroku, who was still trying to figure out why people looked at him and burst into laughter. "They are going to fall off if they wake up and don't realize where they are in time." Sorai finished.

"Why didn't you yet?' Inuyasha asked.

"I...am not good with trees..." she sniffed and turned.

Sesshomaru accompanied him to the tree.

"No one else should find out..." he said in a very strained voice.

Inuyasha nodded solemnly, and then grinned. "This changes nothing between our whole sibling rivalry thing."

"Agreed."

"I still think you're a bastard."  
"And I you."

"Glad the feeling's mutual."

"For once-"

"-we actually agree on something."

Then in unison, they said, "The fact that you are a retard/bastard."

Sesshomaru now had a small smirk to match Inuyasha's as he flew up with him.

"I suppose you'll be taking Kagome down?" Sesshomaru smirked harder.

Inuyasha just huffed, and picking up the miko and shippo, flew down, leaving his brother with Sango on the boomerang.

Sesshomaru looked down_. Great! Now to knock his brother off balance_. To the miko who was currently delicately balanced in this brother's arms and stirring, he thought a strong as he could_, __**KAGOME! YOU ARE FALLING OF A CLIFF!**_

She awoke with a jolt, disturbing Inuyasha's balanced flight and screamed. "Ahhhhh...falling!!"

Sesshomaru grinned with his face towards the newly awoken Sango. Sango, hearing Kagome's scream, peered over the edge, still a bit woozy with sleep, trying to see where exactly Kagome was falling. As her head started to spin from the sudden shock from waking up, she lost balance and toppled over the edge she was leaning over. _Clumsy clumsy humans_... Sesshomaru thought as he jumped underneath her and she fell straight into his arm, ready for her, bridal style, jerking him a bit. She looked up, and muttering a thanks proceeded to see where Kagome was falling as Sesshomaru yawned, bored.

Meanwhile:-

On the other side of the tree, Kagome was off balance and screaming her head off, making Inuyasha lose balance and try to cover his ears. Which totally ruined his graceful decent and he crashed down on his side, still clutching Kagome by her waist.

She blinked once; twice before she realized what had happened. Then with a sheepish smile, she proceeded to help Inuyasha off the ground where he was clutching his arm in pain, and after apologizing, ran off to a waiting Sango, leaving Inuyasha with Sesshomaru once more.

After a step or two, Kagome realized that, her decent was all a joke by Sesshomaru, to knock her and Inuyasha to the ground. Ignoring Sango's stares, she ran to the opposite side of the field and thought,

_Why did you tell me I was falling?_

_To make you freak out and accumulate the results I did._

_Oh, ok then._ **"FLUFFY!"**

The demon lord plummeted to the ground as everyone looked inquiringly at Kagome.

"uh...long time grudge?" she offered.

She got a few raised eyebrows, but otherwise was spared too many inquires.

The lord was picking himself up.

_Ha! You make me fall, i make you fall. Its the golden rule. Its a fact of life._

He growled. _Its your death sentence_.

_Oh yeah?_ She scoffed.

He simply turned the other way. _You are not worth my time._

_That's so racist! I bet Sorai is though...not fair..._

_Grrrrrr..._

_Hey, Sesshomaru; how do you growl in your mind? Is it like a dog thing...or can you just do it?_

She never got an answer because her barrier just broke down and Sorai's thoughts came through.

_Hehehe...I can't wait till after breakfast...this is going to be SOOO amusing!_

Lost in wondering what Sorai meant by this thought; she walked over to breakfast; strangely; smoked deer. _But isn't smoked deer like a dinner course?_ She mused.

_Oh well...at least it's a break from ramen, besides_, she reasoned_, it smells delicious!_

She followed her nose and plopped down by fire, and Sesshomaru. She gave a throaty laugh as his glare followed her. Patting him on the head, despite the fact that she had to reach up to pat his silken hair, catching him utterly surprised, she thought, _get over it! I was just messing with you!_

_Get your hands out of my hair._

_What are you gonna do?_

_Inuyasha and Kouga are barely containing themselves._

_I bet Sorai too..._

_What is it with you and talking about Sorai all the time?_

_I should be the one asking that. What is it with you and Sorai?_

_She my advisor?_

_Was she?_

_Quit acting dumb-dumber then usual._

_Yeah yeah whatever...what's with Sorai?_

_Why are you starting this conversation again?_

_No! Like, she seems like up to something...and really excited about it._

_I wouldn't be surprised if she's trying to murder you all..._

_And you're her partner in crime?_

_The idea is attractive... The one about murdering you all,_ he added quickly at the end.

_Are you sure its not abut being a partner with a certain someone?_

_Yes._

_Really?_

_Yes._

_Honestly?_

_Yes._

_Lying?_

_Yes...No._

_Ha! Got you! So you were lying!_

_Idiotic miko!_

_Pretty miko! _She added.

_Moronic miko!_

_Smart miko! _She corrected_._

_Stop complimenting yourself._

_You're the one trying to insult me._

_So I am._

_Hm...so that means to balance it out I can compliment myself._

_No, and besides, you already have two people to compliment you._

_Don't try to turn the tables._

_I do not comprehend your gibberish._

_That's alright, cause I've got you all worked out!_ She rolled her eyes.

_Hmn_. He wasn't even paying attention anymore, due to Sorai having taken out Kagome's camera. She was currently telling everyone to sit closer together so they all could see. It wasn't the biggest screen in the world...

Kagome could see that Sorai had her camera and had learned how to use it. She didn't freak out or anything and just sat where she was told to, which happened to by sesshomaru while Sorai held the camera into position.

She cleared her throat. "ok, before we can begin this very mysterious meeting, you all have to swear upon your life and honor that you will not try to kill anyone or get mad or get up during this and because of this." She got a few raised eyebrows but everyone quickly made the pledge.

With a few beeps, the sequence of events in the screen began. (a/n: the underline is what is shown in the camera!)

The first thing they saw was the ground, then a clawed hand, and then it was raised to show a tree. The view moved around a bit and Miroku came into sight.

Miroku was playing rock paper scissors with Shippo, and was arguing loudly.

He shouted, indignant, " NO! I get to touch Sesshomaru's fluff! Not fair! I won!"

Sesshomaru put his hand protectively over his fluff but refrained from growling for the sake of his oath.

Shippo yelled back, "no! F& you damn son of a &! I'm smaller! And cuter!"

Kagome stared at shippo in shock, who looked embarrassed_. Her shippo...swore..._

Miroku yelled back despite the fact they were almost touching noses. "You already have your own tail!"

"oh yeah... Well my tail is so much prettier then Sesshomaru's! Why don't people fight over mine?"

Sesshomaru looked over from his seat. "Kitsnue...it is not a pleasurable experience..." he said slowly. Shippo nodded dumbly.

The camera screen shifted to see Inuyasha and Sango. Inuyasha had sat down on the side with Sango, who was brushing her hair with Inuyasha. Every second or so he would 'tsk' and look down at a knot, in the brush he was using, that Sango had tied from behind him. Sango was giggling unaccountably and Inuyasha well ...just 'tsk'ing like crazy. 

As Sango smiled sheepishly, Sesshomaru smirked and there was a great deal of catcalling mainly from Kouga, to which Inuyasha was barely managing to keep his anger in check.

The camera focused on behind the pair. There Kouga had a goofy grin plastered to his face .It was easy to see why. First they all saw him take Kagome's glue stick out of her bag and after rubbing it on his hands thoroughly; he (to Inuyasha's and Sesshomaru's utter surprise) rubbed it on his hair and pulled it up in spikes.

Kagome was laughing like a maniac. "Kouga if you like spikes so much, I can bring you hair gel..." she hiccupped. His hair was now flat down but still had glue in it. She touched the hard mass and winced. "Eww...K once this is over wash your hair or it'll get stuck like this. Permanently." Kouga nodded sheepishly while the others laughed.

Next what he did, was snatch Sango's boomerang, and dance around, tail around his waist, and hands on his hips, mocking Sango throwing around her boomerang, while chanting, "Look at me! I'm Sango the mighty demon slayer with my huge boomerang, and the perverted monk! You, demon, I'm gonna slay you, cause slaying what I do! Na nana nan na! Grrrrrr ...here I come! Watch out MIROKU!? I'm so much prettier then Sesshomaru...lalala...although Inuyasha has doggy ears..." he added thoughtfully.

They erupted into laughter, Sango hardest of all. "What? Kouga? Did you mean me being prettier then Sesshomaru or you?"

He frowned. "I'm not sure..."

She laughed harder.

Meanwhile Sesshomaru, who was grinning, thought, _how come this group bring me into everything?...although that was very amusing with the wolf and all...hehe..._

The camera shifted again. This time to Sesshomaru and Kagome, who tensed.

They both had goofy smiles on their faces and were facing each other having a what looked like a staring contest, save the fact that they both cheated without realizing it. They blinked regularly (while having a mental conversation) but they both were too screwed at point this out to each other.

This got a laugh from shippo and a chuckle form Sorai but everyone else was stony-faced. That was, until they saw what Sesshomaru did next...

KSesshomaru turned to kagome and just randomly yelled, "ME LIKE SMOKY DEER!" grinning the whole while.

Sesshomaru looked thoroughly horrified while they all laughed themselves to insanity.

Inuyasha for one found this all very amusing. "Smoky deer, eh bro?" he asked, while rolling on the ground.

Sesshomaru shot back, "Knots in your hair, eh little brother?" That shut him up, but didn't do anything to the rest of the population who was still laughing.

Thank goodness for Sesshomaru the camera scene changed again. This time it was to Miroku and Shippo who had gotten over their argument and were currently doing a toga dance around the fire, chanting "ho ho ho ho ho ho" like Indians. Miroku had hiked up his robes to his knees and Shippo was dragging the staff behind him.

Miroku looked sheepish while Sango laughed. Shippo just jumped into Kagome's arms and laughed at Miroku's stupidity along with everyone else.

Back with Inuyasha and sango, they both were hiccupping and woozily singing, 

Now that we're men, we can do anything

Sango blushed. _I was singing THAT?! What the hell?!_

Now that we're men, we are invincible  
Now that we're men, we'll go to shell city  


Inuyasha looked completely lost.

Get the crown, save the town and Mr. Krabs  
Now that we're men, we have facial hair

Sesshomaru looked amusedly at a horrified Inuyasha who was whimpering, "no...nononoh nonon!"

Now that we're men, I change my underwear  
Now that we're men, we got a manly flair

sango was hiding her face in her hands by this time while Kagome hiccupped at her.

We got the stuff, we're tough enough to save the day

"save the day?" Kouga laughed. "Pft. Like you could!"

We never had a chance when we were kids, no no no  
But take a look at what we've already did, ha ha ha

Sesshomaru was grinning; the same type of grin he had when playing that spin the bottle game...oh dear...

Now that they're men, we can't bother them  
Now that they're men, they have become our friends  
Now that they're men, there'll be a happy end

Miroku burst into an additional peal of laughter and quipped, "How do you think being a guy helps happy endings?"

Sango, already blushing a very red shade mumbled something like "it doesn't..."

They'll pass the test, and finish the quest for the crown

"crown?" Sesshomaru questioned Sango.

They'll pass the test

"like kagome has?" shippo asked.

And finish the quest  
They'll pass the test, and finish the quest for the crown

And then they slung their arms around each others shoulders and tried to get up; very dizzy. In fact, so giddy they were, that they took one stumbling step and they both tumbled down.

The same thought was running everyone's mind (except Sango's and Inuyasha's who were too embarrassed to think anything.) _Oh god...this is hilarious! Very funny! Side splitting! Hysterical! Highly amusing! Comical! OH MY GOD!_

The camera swung towards Kouga who was now trying to walk straight. Needless to say, he failed miserably.

Kagome and Sesshomaru were now just there, having a normal conversation...well...mostly normal. It went something like this:-

"hey!"

"yeah!"

"hey!"

"yeah!"

"hey!"

"Yeah?"

"hey!"

"stop saying that already!"

"what?"

"hey!"

"what? No you're saying it!...saying...paying...I wonder when Naraku is going to pay?"

"for what, Patrick?" Sesshomaru questioned Kagome.

Sango gasped. "Patrick...Kagome's name is Patrick? Since when?" she laughed.

"I dunno, Crystal. Ask inu...inu...whazz his name again?

They all looked at Sesshomaru, who looked totally annoyed. "Crystal?" Kouga quipped.

"Shut it wolf."

"Crystal?" this time it was a hysterical Inuyasha. "Your name is crystal? Since wh...en?

Sesshomaru just took a few deep breaths and calmed his anger.

"so, what's new Patrick?"

"Nothing crystal...just sometimes I wish I could have ice cream..."

"Ah... so pretty deep thoughts..."

"Yep."

"Hey, Crystal...what's new?"

"You just asked me that!"

"Did I?"

"Yes!...yes...no...maybe... did you?"

"I don't know! I thought you knew!"

"I do! I did! At least I think I did..."

(Silence prevails with both of them in deep thought)

"So...what's new crystal?"

"Nothing really...I really want a...What do I really want?"

"don't you know?"

"I think so..."

"Then what is it?"

"I know!" Sesshomaru's face broke into a disturbing grin as he continued. " I want a hug from Rin!"

"Where is Rin?"

"Wasn't she back in the castle with ja...jak...jake...toad man?"

"Toad man? You mean the green one?"

"The one that stinks?"

"The one that has a racist attitude to humans?"

"All the toads at my castle are racist, green AND stink!"

"oh! Bummer."

"yep..."

"so what's up crystal?"

"I want a hug from Rin!" crystal (sesshomaru) sniffed.

"its alright! I'll give you a hug!"

Sesshomaru gives her a face cracking smile as she hugs him and pats his back despite the fact that his back is higher then she is. "Don't worry crystal...we'll meet Ran soon enough."

He hiccupped.

"Ran? Who's Ran?"

"I dunno? Why do you ask?"

"You just said it!"

"Did I? I said Ram...no Rim...no Rig...Rik?

By this time everyone except Sesshomaru was hysterical. Inuyasha and Kouga felt the slightest twinge of jealousy at Kagome hugging Sesshomaru but the emotion was quickly drowned out with laughter.

Shippo, on the screen, was walking doggedly through the clearing, sloppily holding a glass. He was looking affectionately at the water in the glass and was singing loudly,

I heard your doing ok, but I want you to know

I'm addic

I'm addicted to you!

Kagome made a noise like a balloon exploding and was furiously trying to conceal her laughter. Everyone else didn't even try, even Sesshomaru was smirking.

I can't pretend I don't care when you don't think about me,

Do you think I deserve this,

I tried to make you happy

But you left anyway...

Inuyasha wiped tears of joy out of his eyes.

Im trying to forget that 

Im addicted to you!

But I want it and I need it 

Im addicted to you!

Now its over, can't forget what you said

And I never 

Wanna do this again

Heart breaker

Heart breaker

Heart breaker

Miroku looked over curiously at Shippo and muttered "At least he knows what it feels like when a woman refuses you...yep, he's prepared to the disappointments in life." Sango glared but it wasn't intimidating due to the fact that could barely keep a straight face.

Since the day I met you,

And after all been though, 

Still addic

Im addicted to you!

I think that you know that it's true, id run a thousand miles to get you

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at the kitsnue who blushed and patted him on the head amusedly. At the feel of Sesshomaru touching him, the kitsnue jumped three feet in the air, and landed on Sesshomaru's lap. He looked down expectantly. He blushed, clearly horrified and scurried back to Kagome who gave a throaty laugh and cuddled him.

Do you think I deserve this , 

I tried to make you happy

And did all that I could

Just to keep you but you left anyway...

Kouga muttered "oh boy, oh boy..."

How long will I be waiting

Until the end of time?

"your barely two years old in demon years!" Inuyasha protested, choking on his own laughter.

I don't know why im still waiting

When I can't make you miiiinee

...raised eyebrows at Shippo who was blushing furiously...

Im trying to forget that 

Im addicted to you!

But I want it and I need it 

Im addicted to you!

"Oh god!" Inuyasha gasped as he leaned on kagome, laughing the wits out of himself.

Sorai turned the screen back to her self. "Wait." She muttered before apparently pressing some buttons. "Now this is how you all woke up today..." she grinned and turned the camera back to the audience.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha both looked perfectly horrified and tensed as they forced themselves to look back at the camera.

There was a sweeping motion, then a yellow cloth, and then the camera turned to the tree Sango and Kagome had slept on.

"How the hell did we get up there?" they both looked dumbstruck while Shippo looked amazed that he had slept so high with out getting sick. Sango stroked her boomerang and muttered, "so that where all the scratches came from..."

Next, they showed Kouga and Miroku sleeping back to back, one slumping occasionally. Next it zoomed in on kouga's face; the words 'I am a lech' written in block letters across him face. 

Everyone burst into laughter. Sango asked innocently, "Why did you erase the truth from your face? I would make passing women know that they have to hit you before you even try anything...ha!"

Kagome looked around. Sorai took the marker out of her robes and handed it to her.

"Ah!" she said, and smirked. "The culprit..."

"He deserved it." Sorai yawned.

The scene shifted again, this to show Inuyasha cuddling in Sesshomaru's fluffy thing.

Kagome stared at the rapidly-getting-annoyed-Inuyasha, who looked away.

Inuyasha was lying by Sesshomaru's side, perfectly content and about a foot shorter then him, his head on Sesshomaru's tail, fingers cuddling it, and all wrapped up. Sesshomaru was lying by him, totally indifferent to his brother sleeping on his tail although non one would be surprised if he had sung a lullaby and cuddled Inuyasha, like one would cuddle a baby, some time in the night. (Which to be perfectly honest, he did, but thank goodness for their sibling rivalry; Sorai had fallen asleep by that time.)

Their mouths fell open (except for the brothers who kept their mouths clenched shut

in effort not to rip the camera to shreds.) Then Miroku, usually going against everyone's better judgment, managed to choke out, "What...that's so cute!"

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha groaned simultaneously. _It was bad enough that Sorai, Kouga and Miroku already knew of the sibling cuddling that went on, but now EVERYONE? Oh nononononononoononononono..._

Sorai switched the camera off and handed it to Kagome. Sesshomaru started to get up. "Well, since that's over, I should like to get on the road today."

But before he could get anywhere, he was stopped in his tracks by a question posed by Miroku to Sorai. No, it was not his usual one to ladies; but rather "How come we all were in the moving picture making a fool out of ourselves, and you were **soberly** using the ca-mee-ra? I mean, how come you stayed sober enough to use that thing and didn't do anything stupid?"

She smirked and replied. "I didn't drink the water."

Inuyasha looked aghast. "What? You mean instead of stopping us you just enjoyed the show? What the-"

"No, I did help!" she counted off on her fingers. "I caught Sango falling off the tree once last night...and I took away the boomerang from Kouga when he started to get to dizzy and smash his head into it..."

Heads turned towards Kouga who smiled sheepishly.

"and I restrained Inuyasha from swimming in the poisoned lake when he tried to bomb dive in about ten times...and I kept Miroku from killing Shippo...and from Kagome running around screaming 'I like pointy things!' with tensiga wielded, striking everything in sight..."

Inuyasha asked, "do you?"

"What?"

"Like pointy things?" _It would be so awesome if you did...I LOVE pointy things..._

Kagome just blushed.

"and from Sango trying to braid **my** hair, despite the fact that it is too small...yep, you could say I was busy." She completed cheerfully. They all stared at her incredulously. Sesshomaru walked away, giving the cue that they should get going. So with many taunts at one another's doings last night, Kouga headed off to wash his hair and the rest to cover up their tracks and set out to Demon Glade.

0000000000000000000000000000

**Omg! TWENTY pages and ( i hope) a funny chapter! Did you like it? Which part was your fav? Answers? PLZ?**

**For some reason I don't think that this chapter was the same type of funny as the previous ones...I don't even like it that much...oh well...your opinion counts!**

**Oh yeah, and this...**

**DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Inuyasha, Simple plan's song 'I'm addicted to you', or National Geographic channel or book whatever. Yeah yeah I know...bummer!**

**Ok, it might take me about two or three days to update the next time, i will be really busy, but students seal of honor, it WILL BE THERE AFTER THREE DAYS MAX!**

**Keep the reviews coming, AND I LOVE YOU GUYS!!**

**Airpeeps:- thanx, glad you liked it so much...i hope you liked this chapter too, cause i really didnt that much...and see i do keep my promises:)**

**Meshi gohiku:- thnax, glad you liked it. I will try my hardest to keep up the good work, i just hope you liked this chapter. Be honest please!**

**4-ever disturbed:- thanks so much! And anyway, HA! My summer vacation started on the 23th of may! does happy dance**

**Michelle Weasely Fenton:- thnank you so much, glad you started reveiwing, and i hope you liked this chapter. ( i fell over like fifty times while trying to write chapter 30, i know how funny it is!) :)**


	32. Chapter 32

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**Of Racing and Hanyounapping**

_Oh boy. They were finally here. In demon glade...it was time for that bastard Naraku to die!_

Everyone prepped themselves as they entered within the official border of Demon Glade. According to Sesshomaru, it was a forest known for harboring demons; almost like a neighborhood. That's why everyone is to stick to together at all times. They glanced around at a dark green shady forest with vines hanging like curtains as far as the eye could see. There were trees. Loads of them, but gave evidence of open clearings behind them here and there.

"So, how exactly are we supposed to find Naraku in this huge forest?" Sango asked.

Sesshomaru just stood there.

Kouga piped up. "Yeah, how exactly?"

Sesshomaru sighed, and then began to explain. "Look, I don't know. We have to look around for him, we should find him eventually...it would help if Kagome started sensing jewel shards. That would give us a bit of lead."

Kagome stared at the demon lord.

_What?_

_I never heard you say my name before..._

_Well, I decided that calling you miko was getting boring._

_Glad you thought so._

"Kagome? Kagome?" Miroku snapped her fingers in front of her eyes. "Nop...she's totally lost again!"

"Same here!" Sango said as she waved her hand inches form Sesshomaru's nose.

Inuyasha decided to take things in his own hands. "SO TELL ME," he began loudly. "Why do you two keep spacing out again and again?" he asked when they both snapped out of their reverie (mental conversation).

"Huh...what?" Kagome asked, confused.

"Kagome, why are you tuning us out more and more ever since that idiot Naraku had started his trickery?" Sorai asked.

"Uh...nothing...I...uh...just was kinda thinking about...where we could find Naraku?" she offered. She hadn't once noticed that while she was having a conversation with Sesshomaru, she seemed to tune out the others. Which she seemed to be doing a lot lately. Sesshomaru was more talkative in his mind then ever...he kept the conversation going in his mind while if he had to say it, it would have ended a long time ago.

"Speaking of Naraku...do you sense any jewel shards?" Sesshomaru changed the topic nicely, therefore sparing her some awkward questions.

"No...I don't..."she said hesitantly, as if straining to sense something at the last second. "How about we try walking around a bit?"

They all shrugged. Fine with them.

So they trudged around the path when Kouga suddenly remarked.

"Do you know how incredibly stupid this is?"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "If you didn't want to come, no one is forcing you to stay just now either."

"No. Not that, the fact that we are walking into a demon neighborhood with almost half the jewel, Tetsuiga, Tensiga, Toujikin, and a leader of a tribe and of the western lands where we could easily be ambushed by Naraku or any other demons."

As he caught the glances sent his way, he retraced a little. "Not that we are weak or anything...we could put up a hell of a fight, but still, numbers do count...I don't mind, I just think we shouldn't venture further until we know exactly where Naraku is and if he has backup or not."

Sango remembered telling Kohaku the same phrase, 'numbers do count, it's the demon slayers numbers that give us our strength' that day...bright sunny day shortly before they were summoned to the castle...to be manipulated to kill one another...

She spoke up, shaking her head to prevent tears coming from that gruesomely horrible memory. "I think Kouga is right. We shouldn't be leaving ourselves open to ambush. How about we walk outside the boundaries of Demon Glade, all around it, in more favorable conditions for us?"

Sesshomaru was against the idea. "I realized the threat, but Demon Glade is too large for Kagome to sense anything walking on the outskirts. There are auras, and puppets, and other things that would just confuse her if she doesn't walk through them and take turns to sense them one by one."

Kagome interjected. "Well...you guys, wouldn't I be the best person to access my own skills? I think that both of you are right; but I agree with Kouga more. We shouldn't be giving anyone the chance to ambush us. I can manage form the outskirts...I think."

Sesshomaru turned. "As you wish. I was suggesting it from your efficiency, but if you believe that you can sense jewel shards from the outskirts thoroughly into the core; well then it is better for us there anyway." With that he began to run to the place they entered the forest, with Sango, Shippo and Miroku on Kilala, Kagome slung over Inuyasha's shoulder, Kouga spinning up a tornado, and Sorai's kimono rippling in the wind, hot on his heels.

When they reached the edge, panting, Sorai asked, "Why did you run? Did you feel a particular threat?"

He smirked. "I just felt the need to stretch my legs...although I don't the faintest idea why you all running after me."

Inuyasha shrugged. "That felt good."

"You won't feel so good after I beat you...Race you brother?" Sesshomaru challenged, for some reason feeling up to competition.

"You're up!" Inuyasha replied, grinning.

"I wanna race too!" Kouga out in. "I know I can beat dog boy!"

Sesshomaru eyed him.

"Uh...the other one...Hey! How about we all race the way we run after an enemy and see who gets to that tree first?" he suggested.

"The way we chase an enemy?" Sango asked.

"Yep." Kouga replied.

"I'm in." Sorai stepped in, a confident smirk across her features which immediately enlivened everyone's competitive spirit.

Inuyasha picked up Kagome as she made to agree to the race. "Hey! What are you doing?" she asked.

"We run after enemies this way." He smirked in a know-it-all way.

Sango laughed from above, already in on Kilala. "Nop, sorry Inuyasha, Kagome is coming with me and Kilala." And she hung down her hand to which Kagome grabbed it and pulled herself up.

Seeing the pout on Inuyasha's lips, Kagome laughed. "Sango's right! Besides, why don't you watch us beat you?"

"In your dreams!" Inuyasha yelled.

"I'm not scared either!" Shippo signed himself to the race.

"Hey!" Miroku diverted everyone's attention. "What about me? Three of would slow down Kilala!"

Sango shrugged. "You run."

"What? Why do I have to run?"

Everyone replied at once. "You're a monk."

"What? What does that have anything to do with it?"

Inuyasha turned. "A lech too."

Kouga put in. "A purple clad monk...I mean who wears PURPLE?"

"I hate you all."

"Sure you do!" Kagome laughed and patted him on the head form above as he pouted.

Kagome counted down. "Three" she felt Kilala tense.

"Two" she saw Inuyasha kneel down a bit more.

"One" Sango let out a breath and readied herself.

"GO!" They all burst out running as fast as possible.

The track was as sight to behold. Kouga had once again turned into a brown tornado, Sorai whizzing by, Kilala with her reassuring bouncing, Sesshomaru barely breaking a sweat at breakneck speed with his fluff soaring, Inuyasha running so fast his legs were a blur, Shippo had transformed into a deer (a newly learned trick) and was galloping along with the rest, and last and probably least Miroku struggling to keep up. Above this all, was Kagome's laugh, clear and light like running water echoing over them.

Now the positions were beginning to become clear. Sesshomaru was almost a tie with Inuyasha in the front with Kouga and Sorai hot on their heels. Kilala was overhead of Shippo with Miroku in the back.

Kouga winked to Sorai. She grinned. Both demons, experienced with wind, began to send strong currents of wind from one side at the brothers who were neck to neck.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened while Inuyasha cursed.

They had aiming for speed not stability!

The sudden attack caught them both off guard and they bowled over and crashed smack into a large _conveniently _placed boulder. Sesshomaru, head still spinning, managed to spit out "CHEATING! DIRTY PLAYING!"

Inuyasha, watching everyone whiz by, "SNEAKY BASTARDS!"

Sorai and Kouga laughed diabolically.

Inuyasha turned to Sesshomaru, still clutching his head. "I think Kouga's getting too friendly with Sorai...I mean plotting against us!"

"Give it a rest Inuyasha! Get up. If we-I hurry I probably will still win AND make Kouga pay."

"Why not Sorai?"

"Kouga hit me."

"Did not!"

"grr.." he raced off, leaving Inuyasha getting up.

Back on the track, Kagome, flying over Kouga on Kilala, whispered to Sango. Sango laughed and winked. Kagome dropped over the edge of Kilala's sleek fur right into the middle of Kouga's tornado, on his arms.

It was quite calm, like the eye of the storm. Kouga stared at her but then smirked and continued running. Kagome looked him back in the eye and grinned.

"Sorry Kouga but I'm still with Sango!" and she proceeded to tickle Kouga on his stomach and under his neck. Kouga spluttered, this totally unexpected attack made him double over, Kagome still in his arms. "Wait...no...stop!" he managed to gasp out between his laughter.

But his begging didn't make any difference. Kagome smirked again and ticked his neck ruthlessly, so that the tornado around him vanished, leaving him squirming, standing there, trying to avoid Kagome's hands.

"Excellent!" Sango shouted from above as Kilala nipped down and Sango grabbed Kagome. She slid on easily, as if arranged. Kilala sped up, leaving Kouga to recover and shout "TRAITOR KAGOME! NOT FAIR!"

Kagome laughed in response.

The brothers were back into the race by now, Sesshomaru slightly ahead of Inuyasha but still with Miroku nonetheless. Miroku was panting heavily and Sesshomaru and Inuyasha rolled their eyes at the wheezing monk before trying to catch up with Shippo, who was behind Kilala, who in turn was behind a yellow kimono clad blur.

Sesshomaru sped up, his face up, eyes scanning the leading contestants. He saw Kilala dip down and Kagome leap on and speed away. He was so busy noticing them putting Shippo behind them he didn't notice what was directly in front of him.

Bad thing too.

He tripped, and fell flat on his face, seeing Inuyasha race by out of the side if his eye. He saw the shape of Kouga underneath him, who was trying to get up before his second attack, in other words, Sesshomaru tripping over him and falling on him.

"Very funny." Kouga growled as Sesshomaru struggled to account for what had happened and get up.

"HA!" Miroku hollered as ran past them. "EVEN IM AHEAD OF YOU NOW!"

Sesshomaru groaned and he and Kouga sprang up at the same moment, immediately sprinting past Miroku, who looked crestfallen that he was at the back again.

Kouga spun his way neck to neck with Inuyasha while Sesshomaru managed farther then that and dashed by Kilala.

Shippo had slowly been making progress, and was now almost by Sorai. Kouga and Inuyasha had caught up to Kilala and Sesshomaru, now they all were in a straight row.

Then Sango did something unexpected. She yelled, "HEY INUYASHA, KOUGA!" They looked at her. With a smirk on her face, she proceeded to blow them a kiss before cackling madly.

They both stood there, dumbstruck. _What? What the hell? Sango had just blown ME a kiss?_

At least they tried to stand there, dumbstruck. They got dumbstruck alright, but for trying to stand in one place while they were dashing madly for the tree, they both toppled over, out of balance, skidding to a halt on the hard ground as Kagome laughed and put her hand on Sango's shoulder.

Sesshomaru looked back at the fallen figures and smirked. _He would have to congratulate the slayer on the success of that particular tactic later. That is, after HE won. _He grimaced and quickened his pace only to find that Kilala was still neck to neck with him, she, running with all her might.

By this time Miroku had almost caught up to Inuyasha and Kouga at the very back, and Kilala and Sesshomaru were almost on to Shippo who was now running alongside Sorai.

Sorai was incredible, her hair flying back, blurry from the legs, bending down at the knees with that alluringly confident smirk still firmly on her face. She looked _awesome_.

Shippo was the black deer galloping with her, puffing and panting, eyes narrowed in determination.

Kilala was running on air, her muscles rippling, giving an occasional snarl with gloating Sango on her back and a laughing Kagome.

Sesshomaru was also bent down like Sorai and Inuyasha, his hair and fluff flying in the wind as he was within an arms radius of Sorai.

Inuyasha was a red blur behind them, and Kouga was an impressive brown tornado churning its own way on the track.

And poor Miroku was panting, now at a jogging speed behind them all.

Sesshomaru slowly gained on Shippo and was almost between Sorai and Shippo when Shippo decided to give himself an extra boost. He resolved to turn into a jaguar, to give him the speed he needed to win this race.

Not a smart thing to do when running at breakneck speed.

He managed to turn into a jaguar, a sleek black thing, but lost balance, bowled over and startled Kilala, who slowed down unconsciously, leaving her and the occupants on her back with Inuyasha and Kouga.

Now it was Sesshomaru and Sorai in the front.

Sorai moved ahead of Sesshomaru with a little help from drifts of wind now and then until he was running directly behind her, still within an arms radius. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the tree and sped up to about an inch of it, halting abruptly, causing Sesshomaru to wind up crashing into her back. He fell over form the sudden impact, but she only wobbled and after steadying herself, calmly touched the tree and smirked. "I win!" she announced as Sesshomaru wondered what on earth he ran into.

Sesshomaru sprang up and touched the tree, second, growling at Sorai who just smiled mischievously. _I'd have to admit...that was very ingenious of Sorai...topple me over to leave the first position open to her...very clever..._

Kilala raced in as Kagome reached over and ripped off a few leaves of the tree. She floated down on Kilala's back with Sango, as Shippo took one giant leap and leapt on top of the tree, for fourth place. Then came Inuyasha and Kouga, who both touched the tree simultaneously and skidded to halt, panting, both fifth.

Lastly Miroku showed up after about five minutes of waiting, and ready to fall over with exhaustion, touched the tree for sixth and last.

"Well, that was fun!" Kagome smiled brightly.

"Defiantly!" Sorai laughed.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha both pointed a finger and her and Kouga. "You were playing low and planning this all along!" Inuyasha yelled.

Kouga grabbed Inuyasha's finger and lowered it. "Chill. We all cheated, it was fun! Lighten up dog boy!"

Sesshomaru growled.

"Um...the other one..." Kouga stammered pathetically.

Sesshomaru then turned to Sango, who was laughing at how Shippo fell over turning into a jaguar. "Slayer, I must congratulate your very effective way of toppling both Inuyasha and the wolf prince over." He smirked as Sango remembered and grinned.

Inuyasha and Kouga, now having being reminded of another grievance, turned to Sango with angry glares which she shrugged off and replied, grinning "Hey, I just blew you a kiss! Not my fault you were currently going at breakneck speed and I distracted you and left you dumbstruck IN MY DUST!" she laughed diabolically.

Miroku looked even weaker in the knees. "YOU DID WHAT?" Sango merely laughed with Kagome. Sesshomaru and Sorai smirked, Sorai having seen the episode out of the corner of her eye.

Now Kouga turned to Kagome. "Traitor!" he accused.

Kagome giggled.

"You traitor!" he repeated while Inuyasha looked confused. "You dropped on me and TICKLED ME until I fell down!" he clarified, while Inuyasha, visualizing it, sniggered.

He high-fived a giggling Kagome while Sesshomaru 'tsk'ed.

"So that's why you were on the ground, and YOU TRIPPED ME TOO!" he roared at Kouga who pointed towards Kagome. "Her fault!" he said.

Sesshomaru turned to Kagome. "He tripped me while trying to get up from your tickling attack!"

She shrugged then giggled. "I only ticked him to fall down, not take you down with him!...although it was probably a good thing..."

Sesshomaru sighed. "Ah yes..." he turned to Sorai. "That was a cleverly dirty trick you played, making me run into you and topple over while you yourself win!" he had a humorous glint in his eye.

Sorai smirked that same temptingly charming smirk. "Anything that works!" she proclaimed as she joined Inuyasha in teasing Shippo how he rolled over and startled Kilala while turning into a jaguar. Shippo was now pouting in Kagome's lap while Sango chuckled and teasingly pet his head.

Sesshomaru cleared his throat. "I think that we can safely conclude that was one of the most foul, dishonest races any of us ever have ever participated in."

"Not to mention FUN!" Kagome put in.

"A lot of cheating took place. I know I could see everything from the back." Miroku counted them down on his fingers. "Sorai and Kouga joined forces for a minute or so and attacked Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, making them crash headfirst into a boulder, Kagome jumped in Kouga's arms from the top and tickled him to the point he fell down, Sesshomaru tripped over fallen Kouga too, and fell on top of him... Sango blew a kiss to Inuyasha and Kouga to make them fall down in awe."

"We were shocked!" Inuyasha put in.

"And scared! I mean, look Sango is friking SCARY enough without her blowing kisses!" Kouga interjected. _Especially with that evil grin on her face..._

"Yeah, yeah, awe, shock, same difference! Anyway" He cut off Kouga and Inuyasha.

"Shippo transformed into a jaguar, scaring Kilala, and falling over himself too, Sorai cheated with her wind boosts AND she made Sesshomaru fall by crashing headfirst into her back!"

Kagome chuckled. "So the only one not to be cheated or cheat was Miroku."

Inuyasha out in, "Pft. Like it mattered! He came in last anyway!"

Sango got up, chortling, and suggested that they continued walking on the outskirts of Demon Glade. Inuyasha got up and stretched. "God, that run felt good!" he exclaimed. "Definitely." "Yep." "Good." "HORRIBLE!"

They didn't even bother to ask Miroku why.

00000000000000000000000000

"INUYAHSA! Can we stop now?" Kagome asked for the umpteenth time.

He shook his head. "Look, we probably this close" he signaled the size of a pea with his hand "to finding Naraku! We can't stop now!"

"Yes we can!" Kagome argued. "I'm too tired to sense anything!"

"Keep going!" Sesshomaru put in.

"You're strong, Kagome! Keep going! You can do it!" Kouga encouraged her. She rubbed her head and complained, "Kouga...your not helping..."

"Deal with it." Was Sesshomaru answer.

"Don't make me!" she threatened.

They continued walking.

"FLUFFY SAMA, DO YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN? OF YOU COURSE YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN, FLUFFY! DONT YOU WANT TO? FLUFFY? SIT?"

_Oh god that was like addictive...I REALLY have to stop doing that...but then again they deserved it...oh well...TO HELL!_

_Why must you scream?_

_It's in my mind._

_Still. I can hear you._

_LIKE I CARE! GO CRY ME A FRIKIN' RIVER, FLUFFY!_

_Someone's in a mood._

_My choice if in a mood or not._

_Sure it is._

_IT IS!_

_See?_

_What?_

_Never mind miko! Don't you dare subdue me so much like this again!_

_Pft. What if I do dare?_

_I will tear you limb from limb, rip out your hair, set you on fire, and lock you in a closet for a month with Miroku and then throw your remains in a trench._

Kagome laughed_. Looks like you had a lot of time thinking up that!_

_It was originally for Jaken._

_Lock him up with MIROKU? Like what could Miroku do to jaken?_

_You have no idea. He could-_

_I DONT WANT TO KNOW!_

_I was GOING to say, keep up that talking and a person's brain turns numb after a day. That's why all of yours minds are numb too-scratch that, TOTALLY GONE!_

_Wait a second...Jaken doesn't have hair!_

_I did alter it __**a bit**__ for you!_

_Sure you did._

She lifted her head up to the forest, from where she could see, or sense a piercingly bright and painfully thin black beam of light, going over their head to the sun.

000000000000000000000

"Ready?"

"No!"

"Ready?"

"No!"

"Ready now!?"

"No!"

"Damn it Naraku, you take as much time to get ready as a frikin' girl!"

"You swore. And no, im not ready yet."

"Oh shit."

"That's three times now and moms coming upstairs."

"Oh crap! Oh shit! Holy crap! Holy shit! Bloody hell! I hate this frikin' piece of shit. Crap, crud, damn it!"

"That's like...wait...thirteen times roundabout."

"You're not helping."

"Im TRYING to change here!"

"Let me in!"

"Kohaku, in case you have gone deaf, I AM CHANGING!"

"Ok, never mind, I don't wanna come in while you're changing. But I do need a place to hide...FAST!"

"I'm flattered. But seriously, your puppy eyes will do here to have your sorry ass."

"BUT I DONT HAVE PUPPY EYES!" Kohaku whined through the thick wooden door.

"Sure you do!"

"NARAKU!" Came a voice.

"Uh...that's mom. And she's looking for YOU!" Kohaku could not mask the triumph from his voice.

"Not fair!"

"Life isn't fair!"

"There's that expression. I have to go kill that guy now, it's been WAY too long, that stupid irritating bastard with his stupid irritating expressions."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I suggest you hide. Now."

"You're the one to be talking now, Kohaku. Just a second ago you were the one cowering!"

"Sure I was. Pft. I don't cower."

"Remember the time you fainted because you saw our cat being eaten by a dog?"

"I liked...sniff... FLUFFKINS! ...not fair... Wahhh...I still miss him!"

"Grow up Kohaku!"

"I don't wanna live!"

"Why? Was it 'cause you killed your family and friends?"

"I DID WHAT?!" (a/n: he doesn't remember doing that)

"Uh...Nothing...I said...you killed pigeons and rabbits?"

"I DID WHAT?! I would never kill a rabbit! I like rabbits...Fluffkins liked rabbits...Wahhhh!" Kohaku started wailing loudly in memory of his beloved cat.

Naraku thought fast. "Um...No...Kohaku...Don't cry...look, tell you what! On our trip, we'll get you another rabbit!"

Kohaku sniffed. "You...will?"

"Yes. So stop crying!"

"I love you! You're the greatest brother ever!"

"Kohaku, don't say that! It freaks me out!"

"Are you done yet?"

"Wait...taadaa!" he announced as he opened the door to reveal himself standing there one of his mother's kimono, with lip color, and hair in a half tie.

Kohaku almost fell over. Laughing that is. "Brother! You look...hmmm...what can I say! You'll pass for a woman, that's for sure!"

"Good, now you're supposed to call me mother." Naraku said in a voice on octave higher then his own.

"Sure...mother..." Kohaku was having fits of laughter. He threw a big sheet over Naraku and proceeded to sneak him out of the house.

Once out of the area in which they were well known, Naraku overthrew the sheet covering him, and held Kohaku's hand and trotted away into the thicket.

Kohaku spoke up. "So tell me...MOTHER...why was it necessary for you to get SO dressed up?"

"Well, Kohaku" Naraku was having a hard tome maintaining his voice. "This way of anyone sees us with a minion, I won't be recognized. You, your just a kid, and besides, you don't go out much, so people don't really know you that well."

"But can't people sense...you know... from your aura?"

"What?"

Kohaku lowered his voice to a secretive whisper. "The fact that you're a cross dresser that likes posing as my mother?" and burst out laughing.

Naraku cuffed him over the head.

Kohaku's eyes turned from a laughing pleasant brown, to a red hue. "You shouldn't have done that." He said quietly.

You could have seen Naraku jump a foot in the air and then flinch. Then came the sting of curses. "Holy crap...uh...Kohaku...why are your eyes...HOLY SHIT ARE YOU A F&ING DEMON?!"

The red eyed Kohaku laughed menacingly. "Kohaku is safely lying, unconscious in the bushes outside your home. Me, I am Hakudoushi. You shall come with me; or perish."

Naraku gulped. The demon in front of him changed his appearance. He was still of the same age and shape, but his hair turned a flashy whitish grey, long and his eyes also turned an icy grey. His skin paled, and he had a few markings here and there.

The Dark Lord was too overwhelmed to do anything. Hakudoushi continued. "Try attacking me, or should you get any ideas about escaping, the bracelet you foolishly put on, on my insistence, to change your facial features to more like a woman's; will also snap your life. I suggest you be a good little pup until we've gotten what we want from you, or else."

Naraku stared down at the black stone firmly placed and bound in the black woven yarn, innocently tied against his wrist by Hakudoushi, disguised as Kohaku.

"You...this stone..."

"Yes. It has a certain spell, at my will; it will poison your blood in addition to already making you looking a whole lot hotter."

"YOU'RE FRIKIN" LIKE ELEVEN!"

"Tsk. Tsk." Hakudoushi replied coldly, but with a hint of a menacing smile on his lips. "I wouldn't say anything your **master** if I were you." He looked briefly at the stone, and Naraku also stared at it, much to his horror.

The stone was now emitting a black light, and numbing the skin under it. Naraku watched, horror struck, as the stone continued to numb and cut, through his muscle and flesh to sink into his skin, until it was somewhere close to his bone. The skin had closed up, and he hadn't felt a thing. Freakish. All that was left now was the yarn going into his skin of his wrist.

Naraku started to grunt. Then a smirk. He stared at Hakudoushi. "You think... you thought that you keep me, Naraku, with you? Pathetic!"

He rose up with his miasma flowing under him. "Now you shall perish for your stupidity!" he said, as he pierced Hakudoushi with a tentacle. It went right in his heart, but something was wrong, he realized. Hakudoushi was smirking confidently, his face lowered, in a shadow, also so that his hair covered his eyes. Naraku paused. What was wrong?

Hakudoushi laughed, diabolically evil, showing his long fangs.

"What the?"

"It will take more then you to take me down."

He calmly touched the tentacle and it faded into nothingness. "Your miasma does no damage with that energy absorber in your wrist. The more energy you use, the stronger, and painful it becomes." At his words, his wrist shone black light again, and it burnt like **hell**. It felt like someone had laid a fire under his skin, unbearable pain, excruciating, spreading from his wrist to the rest of his body. He collapsed, unable to move. He was paralyzed. Tears sprung his eyes as he felt the pain lash at him again like a whip, under his skin.

"That's enough." His wrist cooled and the pain subsided as fast as it came. His muscles were not sore, but he was trembling, and tears were pouring down his cheeks as struggled to get up. He wiped his tears away in effort to look less pitiable, but it was done.

He was pathetic.

A man stripped of his courage, pride, power in less then five seconds. He cast a last glance at his home, and hazily wondered in his numb mind where they were leading him.

000000000000000000000000

He thought he was evil. He thought he was mighty. He thought he was powerful. Strong, and undefeatable.

Things change. Prides change. Powers change.

The only thing that was ever constant was change.

People change, times change...in a forever ongoing wheel of change.

000000000000000000000000000000

Awesome! How's that for a awesome ending? Huh? Did you like it? I bet I got you sympathizing with Naraku here didn't I?

Plz tell me!

Long chapter too! Thirteen pages!

Sorry if this chapter wasn't really that funny, plot stuff mainly, but it was fun in the race and like really sad or horrific in the end, I think. I would really help if you told me what you thought of it?

Airpeeps:- thanx, and glad you liked it, although I really did miss your long review..

Meshi gohiku:- yeah actually (grins) THERE IS! Muhwa! Gotra give me points for watching educational stuff, right? Heheh!

It grows in like Africa and when the animals eat it, they act drunk, falling over, and being woozily hyper! Oh, and thanx for the idea!

Yashie and kags forever:- look, I am announcing it to the world, I SUCK AT FLUFF!

I cant write it. Like whenever I try, I end up woth this huge disappointing feeling that wont go away. And besides, fluff isn't funny. Me likey funny. Ill try though….. Thanks for the review!

Oreoxlove4ever:- thank you so much!! And I know, I really love that part too, I fell over like three times while writing that……hehe…

Equalibriem:- wow, thanks! Keep reviewing!

White tiger-Isabella:- yeah, thanks! don't worry, your not alone, I fall over fifty times while writing this stuff!


	33. Chapter 33

**Naraku's mind games**

**An unexpected twist**

"That. Look, where is it coming from?" Kagome cocked her head towards Sesshomaru; who was now staring at the fading beam of light.

"do you...?"

"demonic energy?"

"worse."

"dark energy?"

"dark power."

The small conversation between the members of the group told them what they needed to know.

"oh shit." Kagome cursed under her breath as they raced toward the origin of the beam of light. She had broke out running and almost leaped onto Inuyasha's back in the hurry. Kilala was once again a mighty demon, and carried Sango and Miroku. Kouga was a tornado; again, while Sorai just ran.

Sesshomaru took a flying leap towards the general mass of humans and demons and landed gracefully on his toes.

He grimaced at the still rushing hoard and said, "Brace yourself."

Without those words he closed his eyes, as if concentrating and a puffy scarlet red cloud began to conjure around their feet, startling them enough to stop.

There was much swearing, and uttering incoherent words, as well as curiosity at this new style of traveling, as they rose up.

Sesshomaru was silent, with his eyes closed, until they all were above him in the air. Then he took a second graceful leap and landed on the cloud, surprisingly managing to keep his balance on the fluffy surface. He looked at Inuyasha with Kagome squeezing his back and holding on for dear life, almost choking him, and muttered "God, you people weigh a ton!"

Kagome was white as a sheet. She was used to Kilala; sure, no problem, but this...was a little disturbing at the very least. Being able to see through the thing that kept you soaring and was the only curtain from falling to your untimely demise, did not sit well with her.

She felt a sickly feeling in the depth of her stomach. It wasn't a gut feeling, telling her right from wrong, it was a feeling telling her that whatever happened next wasn't gonna be pretty.

_Oh, god, she was getting sick. And now of all inappropriate times! _She felt like crying if she didn't think it would worsen her sickness.

She clutched Inuyasha tighter, her fingernails almost digging in his shoulder flesh through his haori.

"uh...Kagome?" he turned to see her almost passed out.

"holy crap Kagome!" he yelled as Miroku attempted to calm him down.

Kagome was now lying with her head in Sango's lap while Inuyasha sat by her muttering "oh no Kagome...don't pass out on me...not here not now...please...Kagome...don't get sick..."

Sesshomaru, previously at the front of the cloud, paced over to Kagome.

Casting her a glance, he thought,

_Why must humans be so weak?_

_Not funny Sesshomaru._

_I certainly don't think so either. We are about to arrive in five...ten minutes tops; pull yourself together._

_You think I not trying?!_

_Nevertheless, you are not succeeding._

_Your stupid cloud just HAD to be semi-transparent._

_So you are getting sick at the sight of this height?_

_Well, yeah! Keh, what did you think?_

_I thought-never mind. If it helps any, console yourself with the fact that this Sesshomaru would not allow you to fall from his cloud._

A smile flickered across her lips. _Thanks._

_You are mine to kill for the many injustices you have done to my pride._

_Yeah right! _She scoffed. _Injustices? Who do you think you're trying to kid here? You deserved every last thing._

_Whatever. you mine to kill. But until then, I will not allow you to die, especially not falling off my cloud._

"she's at it again!" Sorai complained, now tired of waving her hand in front of the girls eyes.

"maybe him too?" Kouga asked as he began to wave his hand inches from a certain Inu-lord's nose. No response. Kouga made to turn to Sorai to tell her this, but he screwed up while turning, and his hand banged straight into the Inu-youkai's ever so delicate and sensitive nose.

You could have seen him flinch from a mile away. Without a telescope. It was so much of a flinch, that it exceeded the boundaries for one. It was a violent jump about three feet in the air, accompanied by a yelp, watery eyes and a very soon-to-be-dead wolf frantically searching for a place to hide.

Meanwhile, Kagome, despite trying to console herself that she couldn't fall, decided she needed some pills.

"Sango?" she asked.

A face looked down at her. "yes, Kagome? Do you need something?"

She smiled a bit and answered. "yes, I want the medicine case from my bag, could you—" her smile froze as she realized what she had just done.

She wasn't the only one though.

"Ahhhh! KAGOME!" his scream echoed as Inuyasha jumped off the cloud, in hopes of grabbing him and jumping to safety.

Inuyasha floated down, hair flying up, but he saw no Kouga. He didn't see any falling figure, nor brown tornado. In fact the scent was getting weaker here too. Maybe he's already on ground...or fallen to his doom? He mused.

Above him, Kagome and the others could still hear Kouga's screams. That is, until, Sorai, and Sesshomaru got up, together, and kicked a brown figure, still on the cloud, in the side; from both sides. He overturned. "hey, what was that for?"

Sorai chuckled. "you aren't falling, if you've failed to notice."

Sesshomaru yawned as Kouga turned a beetroot red and grinned sheepishly.

Kagome was looking over the edge for Inuyasha. It made her feel even more woozy, and dizzy, but she had to find Inuyasha.

She barely heard a thought from below. It was light, but because she was concentrating on Inuyasha, despite not being able to see him, she heard it.

_Ha! That wimpy wolf is probably still up there, that idiot! I bet I'll get there before them! And finish off Naraku BEFORE they even think about fighting him!_

Sesshomaru shook his head, as if saying 'oh boy, my poor, egotistical brother and his fantasies' and then smirked a bit.

If Inuyasha wanted to run, then let him. He would make it a point to get there before he did, just for the pure plain fun of bringing his brother's overgrown ego down from the clouds.

Kagome leaned back weakly. All that looking down from a height hadn't done her any good. Without caring who she was leaning on, she grabbed someone's hand and stood up, precautious. She mumbled to someone, "I think I'm gonna be sick..." and proceeded to throw up. A bit on the person, a bit below, a bit on the cloud. She looked up, her face white, to thank that person for letting her hold on to them, when she was confronted by gold eyes. Widened gold eyes, that looked thoroughly surprised.

_Inuyasha? _She thought fuzzily before thinking, _I don't like heights..._

And she passed out, falling back off the cloud in the process.

A hand grabbed her elbow and she was, unconsciously hauled to safety.

Sango could barely control her giggles. _Kagome had thrown up, barfed on Sesshomaru, of all people! Anyone else and they would have forgiven her, even Inuyasha, wouldn't make that much of a fuss, but Sesshomaru! And now he's 'tsk'ing at his clothes like a fussy old grandmother!_

Too bad for her, Sesshomaru could hear every one of her thoughts. And he didn't like them.

_I don't suppose the miko did it on purpose, but still. She threw up on my clothes, she would pay. She was passed out now, but for later...he hated how humans were so weak! A little height and she threw up and passed out. Pathetic! _He snorted.

_Right now, he would clean himself before going anywhere._

The cloud dropped sharply, startling everyone, but before they could comment, Sesshomaru had grabbed Kagome and Sango by the shoulders and was currently walking of to a nearby water source with Sango struggling.

"put me down!" she said and glared. If she didn't have Kagome in her arms she would given him a piece of her mind.

"very well." He dropped Sango on her feet, and carrying Kagome.

Over by the pond, he said, "Cleanse her of this...filthy smell. Hurry. We do not have time to waste."

Sango simply splashed a bit of water on Kagome's face, and she woke up, eyes wide.

Sango covered her mouth. "Shh... just concentrate on making yourself a little less smelly for the person you threw up on." She threw a dirty glance at Sesshomaru, who was staring intently at a red speck in the distance.

Kagome nodded and washed her face, hands, feet and legs by the time the red speck proved to be Inuyasha.

"Oi! ARE YOU OK?" he asked Kagome, skidding to a halt her, worry written across his face.

She nodded. He picked her and Sango up and raced back to the cloud. He leaped on the cloud, to see Sesshomaru follow after him a few seconds later miraculously clean.

_Don't think you're off the hook, miko. _He threatened.

_Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to throw up on you._

_Then why did you?_

_I told you, your cloud is almost transparent._

_And by the way, how did you get clean so fast?_

_Cleaning themselves quickly is an art that most males are fluent in._

_Yeah right! Gramps takes hours in the shower..._

"We are here. Now everyone, quiet." He announced as they dropped slowly.

0000000000000000000000000

He lay there, in his room, on the thing which you could graciously call a bed. It wasn't a room. It was a goddamn cell. And he was prisoner. So did anyone say damn? Again?

Naraku sighed for the hundredth time as he surveyed the bracelet that kept him in place. Nothing too fancy, nothing that his mother, the enchantress, would worry about. If only he had gotten around to his mother teaching him magic, a bit. Only a bit would have made all the difference. He could have found a loophole in the magic, and set himself free.

But then there was no use dwelling on things he could not have; or the past.

There were so many wishes he wanted fulfilled, so many things he was desperate enough to do to get him out of here. Killing was no biggie. Humph, sure. Killing others that is. That was something Naraku was used to all the time.

But for the first time in his sinful life the thought of suicide flickered across his mind, which was still frustrated by his weakness, and refusing to believe that he was here. In these circumstances. Alone. Without hope.

Hope. He had always thought it to be such a fickle word, giving solace to the weak, and pitiful. And here he was, dwelling on the word, finding its way into his wishes.

I hope that I break out of here soon...

I hope that someone noticed me missing by now...

I hope I survive this...

I hope I get to see kohaku again...

I hope the pain will fade soon...

I hope that son of a b hakudoushi dies in his sleep!

It hurt him, how foolish he had been; his remorse for not putting up stronger guard was raw.

He sensed someone approaching. Not by the platter of footsteps, but rather by the slight drop in temperature and a mysterious aura.

A swirl of grey, and Hakudoushi appeared.

He smirked at the broken figure before him.

It had been so easy to break Naraku's spirit. But now, his revenge was to take place.

He had waited so many years for this moment, when all his planning and pain would be put to use. In an eternity of pain and suffering for Naraku.

He rose, the figure before him. Pitiful, still. He slumped, and avoided Hakudoushi's gaze.

Hakudoushi started. "Do you know why you're here, Naraku?"

Naraku spat, "Because your a fat a son of a b&, and cowardly retard who gets his cheap thrills this way!" he spat on Hakudoushi's face.

Hakudoushi smirked and dodged. Before Naraku could comprehend where he was, a hand held his neck.

"Feisty, aren't we?"

He let out a low whistle and his wrist once again turned that sickly black color.

Naraku collapsed, once again, and tears sprung up to his the side of his eyes, clenched tightly shut. No. he would not give up. He was Naraku. Undefeatable. He would die trying, but he would not follow the commands of this son of a &.

Naraku leapt up, sliding his feet under Hakudoushi's, effectively knocking him off his feet. But Hakudoushi didn't fall. He just hovered there, and grimaced menacingly.

"You have some spirit Naraku. Too bad I'm gonna break it." He continued as Naraku squirmed on the floor. "Do you know why I'm here? To torture you. Why? Good question. But I should be the one asking you that. Why did you slaughter my family, and village?"

"you're...here...for revenge?" Naraku managed weakly. He didn't remember all the villages he had slaughtered! How was he supposed to recall? Naraku thought as another whip of pain spread under his skin.

"Yes Naraku. For revenge, I am here, I have called forth the demons to turn me into a half demon like yourself, for revenge I have toiled away for years!" Hakudoushi's voice raised. He had turned himself half demon by the same method Naraku had, just to get back at him. The only reason he was living was to get back at Naraku. Sure, he looked eleven, that was when he had called forth the demons, but in reality he was only slightly younger then Naraku himself.

"mother..." Naraku whispered to himself, biting his lip in effort not to scream out and do the pain that was lavish in his body, justice.

0000000000000000000000000000

When the ride was over, Inuyasha leaped from the cloud stealthily and came upon...nothing. A queer scent...of a woman?...and more of that dark aura.

Inuyasha was disturbed by Sesshomaru who whispered, "Naraku."

Inuyasha grinned and flexed his knuckles. Just what he wanted to hear.

"Disguised as a woman?"

Inuyasha froze. He had no idea, nor intention to hear that.

"AH! Too much info!" and he closed his ears.

Sango asked, "Cross dresser?"

Miroku gave a horse laugh and nervously said, "I don't know..."

Inuyasha, removing his hands off his ears, asked "Sesshomaru, what the hell are you saying?"

"I'm saying what I smell. You smell a woman, right? And I smell Naraku's poorly masked scent. That means..."

"He was trying to mask as a woman. Fine. Done. Disgusting, but ok." Kagome completed. "But why?"

Kouga shrugged. "don't look at me! How the hell am I supposed to know?" he blurted out as gazes turned his way. But they were really looking at Sesshomaru who had grabbed Sorai's hand and fled into the woods, behind Kouga.

Miroku got a perverted smile. "they could have waited for a more appropriate time, you know..."

Kouga raised his nose in the air, cursed, and followed them.

Inuyasha raced off next.

Sango was still glaring at Miroku, but was cut off from killing him as Kagome who had suddenly proclaimed that they go after him. In truth she was conversing with Sesshomaru mentally.

_Kagome, tell everyone to follow after us. No questions. Just do it!_

_What the?_

_JUST DO IT MIKO!_

_We're on our way. Now tell me, what the hell is happening?_

_I smelled Naraku's poorly masked scent leading here. We are going to investigate. Be ready with your weapons._

_Okay._

She tensed on Kilala, with Sango in front of her and Miroku behind her. They had now caught up with Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Sorai and Kouga. They were whizzing by the shady trees so fast they were a blur. It was all green and grey in this forest. She couldn't even see the sky. It was all green and grey. More green and shady grey, god this was getting annoying. She concentrated on Sango's slayer uniform instead of the irritating scenery around her.

Surprisingly, Miroku was acting solemn while behind them. An improvement, definitely, she thought as she stroked Shippo's hair.

000000000000000000000

**Boom!**

The wall exploded in the prison, to reveal Naraku on the ground, drenched in cold sweat, and a certain demon lord with his fist out.

He took one survey of the surroundings and snarled, "my kill." In a murderously deep voice.

Hakudoushi immediately took into his sense that this was not a very safe place for him to be right now, smirked, and vanished into the same type of swirling dark energy he had appeared from, his hair the last to fade away into the portal.

Kagome jumped off Kilala and skidded to a halt by Sorai.

She readied an arrow. "you die today, Naraku." She said valiantly.

She pointed it a struggling figure on the ground.

Sango couldn't wait any longer. Kohaku's and her village's blood pounded in her veins, forcing her to take the impulse. She threw a dagger at Naraku while he was fighting his limbs to get up. It hit straight on target, in his stomach. He did a double take, but instead of retaliating, what they all were anxiously pausing for, he smiled and pulled the dagger out of his gut.

Kagome started to inch closer with her arrow, and Inuyasha with Tetsuiga.

"stay back!" he said in a shrill voice, that commanded them not in a shadowy way, daring them to defy, but rather, pleading and humiliated.

Kagome stepped a step closer. "don't." Was all Naraku could manage in a weak voice that made Kagome and the others freeze in their tracks out of shock if nothing else.

With horror stricken eyes, Kagome watched as Naraku took hold of Sango's dagger and, holding out his arm, plunged the tip into his skin. Blood dropped to the ground. Once, again, and again. By this time Naraku was visibly sweating and was biting his bottom lip so hard that faint specks of blood was shown there too.

Sorai took a closer look at the man before her. His skin was unnaturally pale, as if sick, with dark bags under his eyes, and hair spread around him in an unnerving way, his blood red eyes peering wildly from under the tresses falling on his face.

Her eyes then traced to the wrist he was continuously plunging the danger at.

It was bleeding profusely, there was a small trickle of blood constantly flowing through his robes and onto the ground where it dampened the cold stone floor.

His wrist was now glowing black, the same type of beam they had been following on Sesshomaru's cloud, appearing and jetting out in all directions.

Naraku fell to his knees as he experienced the whip of burning pain that chewed away at his sanity. He bit his lip harder, but the tears were inevitable.

He wiped them away with one sleeve, then with the other, only succeeding in getting blood smeared on his face.

_What happened to all my pride, and honor? _He thought hazily as tears flowed down his cheeks abundantly. _Here I am, crying my soul out in front of my worst enemies, and unable to stop myself._

His face downcast, he continued to take shots at his wrist in hopes of shattering the stone that had lodged itself in his flesh.

Naraku had cut away at most of the flesh to the bone, and the stone could be seen there, glowing back, the burning sensation now reaching every inch of his skin. He was on fire from this kind of pain. He couldn't stand it. Summoning every drop of energy and courage he had, Naraku had struck the metal on the stone. He shuddered as it gave one final terrible powerful burning energy wave through his body, then shattered into a million tiny shards, fallen in his stream of blood.

He glanced down at the shards and the blood, and then at his own hand. He could not take this anymore.

His lost consciousness without any further thoughts.

000000000000000000000000000

Kagome rushed foreword to gently prod the fallen body. For the first time ever, out the many times Kagome had seen Naraku, this was the first time he seemed small, pitiful.

She neared him, ignoring her friends cry's of, 'stay away' and 'it might be a trap'.

She knew she was far too trusting, to the point of it being a vice, but she couldn't control herself at this point. As she gently prodded his shoulder, she felt her nerves, he entire body screaming to purify him into extinction, but she didn't. Instead, she let her pity's whims take control, and picked him up by the shoulder.

Her friends looked at her as if she were crazy. She was helping enemy. An enemy that had done many injustices to them, and tried to kill them at least five hundred times by now, no less. She caught them staring and gaped back at them as if she were the one doing something natural and they were protesting something so morally right.

"Well?" she snapped. "are you going to help me or not?"

00000000000000000000000000000

Whoooo! DRAMA QUEEN! MUHAHWAH!

I bet i have half of you thanking kagome for saving naraku and the other cursing her for doing so...find out what happens in the next chapter!

Sorry it took a bit long, and wasn't funny at all, but i hope you cant endure one or two chapters! After that, i'll make your stomach hurt with laughing so hard!

Is it just me or has my writing style changed d bait since the earlier chapters?

Anyway,

I kinda had a writers block in this entire chapter, and it was quite had to write it, but reading the reviews did encourage me quite a lot!

Airpeeps:- yeah, you are right! This story Is FAR from over just yet…..anyway, glad you liked my previous chapter.

Iloveinuyashasomuch:- thanks! Glad you liked both of my stories, but I don't think I'll write more of the oneshot. This, will keep rolling, and keep making you laughing (hopefully)!

Kagome-loves-kouga:- yeah, I know who hakudoushi is, but this IS a fanfic! I like going slightly off track…. Ok, anyway glad you liked the race. Keep reviewing!

Yashie-and-kags-forever:- uh…really sorry……but I told you before, I cant write fluff. It comes out cheesy. And there is NOTHING I hate more then cheesy fluff. Maybe you could give me a few pointers to start with? This is my first ff after all….

Thanx!


	34. Chapter 34

**Naraku's mind games**

**Growing gills**

"Damn it Kagome!"

"What were you thinking?"

"I think your brains broken or something..."

"This is seriously not healthy! Kagome, no!"

"What the hell is you damn problem, wench?"

"What, is like god trying to get back at me for who knows what reason, by making me have my enemy in my possession, and me unable to kill him?"

"What is it with you helping enemies? First Kouga now Naraku..."

"Damn it, are you like mental or something?"

"GET ASIDE!"

"I HATE YOU GODDAMIT!"

"STOP SITTING ME YOU STUPID...GAH!"

Kagome sighed. These were the responses she was getting all day from dealing with Inuyasha alone.

He had been trying repeatedly to sneak by Naraku and get him to get up and fight, despite the fact that he was currently unconscious.

He been getting subdued a few times on every attempt too. Sesshomaru and Kouga had tried, once, twice, and learned their lesson, to hold their anger until later, but this puppy just wasn't holding. She suspected that the anger had gone to his head or something.

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were off to aside, talking in hushed voices, about her no doubt. _She didn't blame them. She was helping the enemy. Helping Naraku, that stupid, evil, cowardly bastard. They had a right to be mad…. Although, she couldn't consider leaving Naraku in the condition he was. Sesshomaru was right. She was too trusting, but she didn't think she would regret this. After all, if Naraku woke up and saw that she was trying to help him recover from his assault (that's what it seemed like), he should turn over a new leaf, stop trying to kill them, leave evil and apologize, right?_

She sighed again. _What the hell was she expecting? Naraku to change his mind? Naraku?_

_Oh god, this is hopeless. _Yet, she had a nagging feeling at the back of her mind that he wouldn't kill them as soon as she woke up. She hoped it was a correct intuition, because it wasn't then……kuso, and she was in for it.

She focused her eyes the other way. Sesshomaru, Kouga and Sorai were also having a sullen conversation, and were now sitting in a thoughtful silence. She really hoped Naraku would turn around, she couldn't stop herself from going out of her way to help someone. It was her way of life, her golden rule, her code of conduct. She couldn't be Kagome without it.

She had tried, and failed to read Naraku's thoughts, but he was unconscious and no thought entered her mind from his way.

She sighed once again. This was going to be one long day.

00000000000000000000000000

Naraku opened his eyes. As he struggled to cope with light now filtering through his eyelids, Kagome noticed he was awake. He gasped, clearly confused where he was.

"Oh my god." she whispered.

He turned her way. _What? What is she doing here? What's going on? Where am I?_

The questions were running through his mind almost as fast as he could comprehend them. Kagome readied her bow and arrow. She didn't want to use it but she didn't want to make Inuyasha come and save her again. Naraku looked down at his arm, bandaged up from the wrist. His smile was that of relief and then he directed his attention towards the other members in the camp, now all in fighting pose. He saw Inuyasha running towards him and then noticed how the girl protected him by using the rosary.

He smirked. The girl was really too trusting. She was doing something incredibly stupid, opposing her team members to save the enemy. Pathetic.

Far far too trusting. He figured that she must have saved him from Hakudoushi, and was now helping him recover. Not a smart thing to do on her behalf, but it was all to his benefit so he wouldn't complain.

He looked down at himself.

_Oh holy, holy shit. _He swore. He was still in his mother's kimono, red roses merrily blooming across him body.

He groaned. _Damn. Hakudoushi just had to get him then. He still looked like a cross dresser. Damn. And damn again for his pride._

He cautiously got up. He had nothing with him right now, not an army, or a weapon, nor strength. The best he could do was to vanish, but how?

Ah, a small smile curled on his lips as he remembered.

Leaping up, he made a sudden movement to enforce his barrier.

There. Another smile of triumph. It wasn't very strong, but it was there.

Sango and Inuyasha screamed at the same time, " NARAKU!!"

Sango flung her boomerang straight at the barrier, in which Naraku was currently halfway through making his getaway.

_Ah! Confusion! _He thought. _I have to create confusion in them……the body swap! _He hurriedly started to chant the verses that he used previously to achieve the same results.

Miroku, after surveying the path thoroughly, and not detecting any insects, released his wind tunnel as Sesshomaru jumped in the air, and Kagome pulled back her arrow, trying to get a shot at him.

_Ha! _He thought, as he saw them both stumble and while Kagome staggered on ground and let go of her arrow, way off target, Sesshomaru did a whirling unbalanced pirouette and fell flat on his back.

The arrow whizzed by, a bit unsure of where exactly it was supposed to be going. It headed towards Miroku's wind tunnel, unknowingly to him. It sped closer, but Miroku was still too preoccupied with trying to knock Naraku off balance with his wind tunnel that he didn't notice. Kouga did though, and just in the nick of time, leapt from the side and pushed Miroku over into the ground and out of the arrow's path.

But the arrow just kept on going, on the same path, now straight for Sorai.

She threw up a wind barrier in a hurry and crouched in a stance in her effort to maintain it.

The arrow was now glowing as blue as ever, positively beaming with power, and was cutting through her barrier.

_Good lord. _She thought, eyes widened in shock. _How could a simple arrow cut through her most powerful wind barrier?_

_Nothing short of Tetsuiga or Sesshomaru had been able to do it before._

She grimaced. _However it was, one thing was clear. It was not good for her. _She leapt out of the way as arrow became free once more and brushed her kimono as it flew past, straight into a tree.

Naraku looked below. He boomed, smirking, "As a reason for you to rejoice, I shall not kill you today. Thank the wench for being the cause you live until tomorrow. After that, you all will perish!"

In that moment he made his getaway.

00000000000000000000000000000

"How great is this?"

"How frikin' awesome?"

"Oh yeah, I had a lot of fun today you know!"

"Yeah, so we helped Naraku, tried to kill him and failed ALL IN ONE DAY!"

"And swapped!"

"What fun!"

"Great!"

SHUT UP!" Kisb screamed.

"Look, I'm sorry, and I said so, but couldn't you see how miserable he was?" she continued.

"Someone had him captured and was torturing him, that white haired guy in that place we smashed up. I helped him, because he trying to kill himself! And he was crying!"

"That stone, he was willing to kill himself to stop the pain it was giving him!" she said, struggling to keep herself under control.

She was sorry that he was the same as before, but she didn't regret helping him.

_I just guess when I heard him think about his mother….then I forgot that evil people can have loving moms too….._

_Wait a second…how does he have a mother? Didn't her take the life of Onigumo to become half demon?_

_Or……maybe not. Maybe the thief Onigumo had parents before he turned half demon, he wasn't that old either, and they didn't reject him later?_

Inuyasha groaned and turned away. Kouga and Sango both looked at her, troubled, and Sikb snorted.

_Why did you help him? Did you really think he could fit in this odd ball group who formed in his hatred? Or that he would change? This is Naraku we are talking about here. NARAKU. The evil bastard who ruined so many things for so many people!_

_No…..he was just so helpless, I couldn't……._

_What? Stop yourself? You're pathetic, you know that miko? Your greatest weakness is too much blind trust!_

Sikb's words stabbed Kagome's confidence like knives.

_No…..I ……I'm sorry.._

_Sorry wont do anything now! You helped him, and then allowed him to escape! What were you thinking? _

_I……._

_You helped the enemy! You stupid miko didn't bother to realize what you just gave up! Just because he didn't do anything to you personally….._

_But...he did! He hurt Inuyasha, and the others, and…._

_Inuyasha. The others. Not you. Besides doing what he does to all of us, the battles, he had done nothing to your feelings, nothing to make you forget all about forgiveness, nothing to thirst for revenge!_

_But…..he did….Atira…_

_Was a puppet. She betrayed your trust, for what, a day? Nothing was done to you! You are only holding on for the sake of your friends, and now you betray them and all the goals you were trying to achieve and help him!_

Kagome snapped under the pressure. She burst into tears, still in Sesshomaru's body. Crying, she screamed hoarsely, "Yes! I helped him! I'm sorry, but I can't change it! I helped the enemy! Go ahead, do what the hell you want!" and she ran off into Demon Glade, alone, tears flowing down Sesshomaru's cheeks.

Sikb stood there, upright and appalled. He did to mean to do that! He felt a guilty sensation lurking in the shadows of his mind, just waiting to emerge.

_No! _he thought. _Someone please tell me she isn't that stupid! Or that upset! It isn't the smartest thing to do to run into Demon Glade alone…_

He looked around frantically but everyone else was frozen in place, startled by this sudden outburst. That is, except for Inuyasha. He raced forwards and skidded to a halt where Kisb had disappeared in the forest.

He put his hand on the hilt of Tetsuiga, and ventured in.

"Kagome! Kagome!" he called softly. He didn't want to be attracting any attention.

He leapt around a tree to find her on the other side, knees up to her chin and Sesshomaru's hair spread in front of her, partially covering her face.

He landed softly by her side.

They stayed like this for a while, with Kisb sniffling now and then.

Inuyasha tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned.

"Are you done yet?" he asked softly.

She shook her head. He nodded, and she turned back and continued to rock back and forth.

Although the general air was that of silence then, Inuyasha's thoughts were full of happiness. _Alright! _He thought. _I'm being sensible for once!_

Kagome smiled a bit. She was really surprised that Inuyasha knew most of the things he did were uncompassionate.

_But that means he does them on purpose…….._ She frowned as she allowed her thoughts to be occupied in figuring out a certain hanyou's behavior.

Kisb said softly after a while, "Inuyasha, I'm really sorry, but can't you see, its in my blood to help others and forgive. I…..can't be myself without it. Sorry I didn't let you kill him." She hung her head.

_Oh come on Kagome! I forgive you! You couldn't be Kagome if you weren't so damn reckless!_

But what he really said was, " It's ok. Miko's tend to be stupid, I forgive them. See? Rule of life!" with an arrogant grin.

She giggled. _Trust Inuyasha to try and cheer her up in this way._

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, despite the fact that Sesshomaru's shoulder was far too large for this, and squeezed a bit. He looked down (up) at her.

"It's all right. Get over it. Now, I am going to cheer you up."

"How?" she whispered, immediately loving the mischievous smirk that had landed on his face.

"I don't know? How about you look at yourself?" he said playfully.

She looked down at the haori clad muscular body she was currently in.

"Fluffy?"

"Fluffy."

"Yay!"

"You've cheered up quickly."

"Its kinda hard not to when your going to annoy your brother."

"I love doing this every time."

"Hehe…… he is going to explode!"

"yep!"

As she was about to exit the shady area, Inuyasha stopped her.

"Wait! Kagome!"

"What?" she turned around.

"What the hell is that?" he pointed to Kisb's fluff. "I've always wanted to know." he said, curiosity written across his face.

"It's a tail."

"Sure? I've always had my doubts about that."

"oh well." She shrugged him off and entered the clearing…..to find no one there.

"Where did they all go?" she mused, sweeping her eyes over the empty clearing.

"Hey Inuyasha?"

He caught up to her.

"Uh…where did they all go?"

He raised his nose in the air and sniffed.

"They're all over there."

He pointed to the side. Inuyasha and Kisb quietly snuck over to see everyone huddled around something, and whispering ferociously. Every now and then either Sango's or Miroku's voice would ring out. Then came a horrible gurgling noise, which made the hair on the back of their necks stand up. Sikb pushed through. "wait!" Inuyasha hissed to her. "You'll ruin the plan!"

"Its alright! Come out, and help me see what's going on!" she replied, and tapped Sorai on the shoulder.

"What's going on?" she asked. Sorai gave her a guilty look and started to reply normally until she caught sight of Kisb properly.

She stifled a laugh and bit her lip.

"Well?" kisb was getting impatient.

Sorai giggled. " I think you'd better stay away from Lord Sesshomaru for a while."

"I am asking what wrong? Why is everyone huddled up?" she asked, now tapping her foot.

"Oh, that. It's Shippo." she moved to the side as a look of horror struck Kisb's face. Shippo! What could be wrong with him?

She moved to the front to see Shippo a hideous green color and vomiting, while in Sango's lap.

"What happened?" she looked around frantically.

"Too…..much………chocolate….bleh!" Shippo managed weakly.

"Oh, wait…….eat this!" she quickly whipped out a medicine from her bag.

When Shippo stopped vomiting and looked a bit better , she boomed, "Ok, now who gave Shippo my ENTIRE STOCK of chocolate?"

At once, everyone stood up, not to say that they did, but to point dramatically at Sikb, who was staring off into the distance, indifferent.

"Problem?" he asked coldly, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, problem!" she thundered. "You gave Shippo my entire stock of chocolate, resulting in him getting sick!"

Sikb shrugged. "He asked for it."

"Did not!" Shippo said indignantly.

"see?"

"Its not my-" sikbs mouth fell open.

"What?" Kisb looked around for what he was staring at. Then she remembered.

"oh…..hehe….about that…."

He was staring at his own hair, made up in a braid and put up, with pink and blue flowers merrily blooming at regular intervals.

He got up immediately, attracting the attention of the others, who had now just noticed Kisb's hair.

Sango whispered. "Do I dare?"

Miroku answered, "No….I don't think you do."

"Well, in that case, just to prove you wrong, I will!"

And she let out a low wolf whistle.

Sikb turned to stare at her. "Uhoh…" she dived behind Miroku.

"Not good….not good…." she chanted while Miroku squirmed under Kisb's penetrating glare.

Inuyasha sprung in between Sikb and Kisb.

Thinking fast, he blurted out, " uh…..guys….how about we call a truce?"

The two warring parties both snarled, "never!"

_Miko, put down my hair now._

_What if I don't? she challenged._

_You write your will._

_No. you deserve this. First you be mean to me, then you make Shippo sick!_

_I told you, the kitsune asked for chocolate, I gave it to him!_

_You weren't supposed to give all of it!_

_How was I supposed to know?_

_Asking someone?_

_Humph._

_Oh. Its you and your ego isn't it? You cant ask anyone for help, can you? You stuck up bastard!_

_I grow tired of your petty argument._

"Oh look a flying fish!" Sorai exclaimed, pointing at the sky.

Miraculously stupid, Sikb, Inuyasha and Kisb all looked up.

Sango and Miroku took advantage of their stupidity to knock Sikb and Kisb over in their side.

"What the?" Sikb growled, while Kisb screamed.

Sango looked over at her from Sikb and shuddered. "Don't do that! Not a nice sound, Sesshomaru screaming!"

Sango picked up a struggling Sikb and flung him over her shoulder.

"We are going back to your castle. Period."

Sikb stared at her. "What do you think you're doing?" _That is MY castle. You cant just barge in whenever you feel like it! _

Sango shrugged. "We are going back to the castle to think up a new game plan."

Miroku groaned. "God, Sesshomaru, what the hell do you eat?"

"Implying?" Sikb raised his eyebrow.

"YOU'RE HEAVY!"

After about fifteen minutes of everyone walking in silence, Sango stopped and sighed.

"This is going to take too long! Hm…cant you fly us?" she looked at Kisb.

Sikb looked horrified. " I am not going to go on that! She will kill us all! Flying a cloud is too difficult for her mentality!"

Kisb looked evil. "Just for that, I'm going to try!"

00000000000000000000000000

"Milord you're back!"

"Welcome back, lord Sesshomaru!" _I think the lord it going a bit weak or something….humans here, a second time!_

"Had a nice journey, milord?"

"Lord Sesshomaru!" A orange blur jumped on Sesshomaru and clung to his legs.

He looked down. "Ah, good evening Rin."

"Rin missed Sesshomaru-sama!" she said, her voice muffled through the cloth of his haori. (a/n: does he wear a haori or what?)

He patted her on the head, and whispered, " Rin, you'd best get off my legs. It is becoming difficult to walk." and indeed it was. He couldn't walk at all.

Rin smiled and let go. " Hai." She waved to the others and ran off with Shippo.

Jaken, who was now pacing by the lord's side, cringed when he saw the Rin was once again with Shippo. That spelt disaster for him. Uh oh.

"Jaken, see to it that the guests are led to their rooms."

"Yes, master…." he trailed off.

Sesshomaru went straight to his room and flung himself on the bed.

_Oh god. That was tiring. _

He rolled over. _I still cant believe Kagome helped Naraku like that…………..I mean that forgiving?_

_Speaking of Kagome……I should go and check if she doesn't inflict brain damage upon herself, like last time._

He got up quickly and walked to Kagome's room.

There were sounds of laughter coming from inside.

He twitched his ears a bit and listened intently.

Inuyasha was saying, and laughing at the same time, "Oh, yeah, well I bet you can't fight me!"

Sesshomaru's interest sparked. _What were they doing in there?_

"Pft. Like I need to! I bet you can't even throw my boomerang!"

"Sure I can!"

"Ah, shut up! I could suck you all into my wind tunnel in a matter of seconds!"

"AH HA! Well, I can pin you to a tree for eternity, 'cause, no one is gonna save you next time!"

"You didn't save me!"

"Yeah I did!"

"AH shut up! Or else I'll chop you all up and feed you to Kilala!"

A lot of spluttering.

Sesshomaru frowned. _What could they all be doing that involved so many threats and jibes?_

"Oh yeah, well I bet you cant eat even one of Kagome's mom's curry plates!"

"Well if I had them, I wouldn't be so sure!"

"Guys, guys, this isn't even relevant!"

"Like everything else around here!" Kouga complained.

Miroku said, " I bet you can't battle against Sesshomaru!"

Sango said, indignantly, "Of course I can!"

"No you cant!"

Kagome put in, "Of course she can! She just never got the chance!"

Inuyasha piped up, "Oh yeah! She can, battle, and LOSE!"

A big smashing sound.

Miroku's voice said in a nervously, "Ah….of course you can, my dear Sango! I always had faith in you! My lovely Sango…..uh…."

Inuyasha seemed to be getting up. "Hey! What was that for?"

Sango replied. "Random reasons." and there was another thud.

Inuyasha got up this time, and in a woozy voice, said, "Oh yeah? Well I know one bet you can never do!"

"Bring it on!" Sango said in arrogantly confident voice.

_Ah! _Thought Sesshomaru. _So that's what they are doing! Betting impossible bets on each other? _He frowned. _That's crazy!_

Kagome heard the thoughts running through Sesshomaru's mind.

She snuck over to the door and opened it. Sesshomaru lost his balance a bit at being exposed, and struggled to recover his dignity while a woozy Inuyasha announced his ultimate bet.

"I bet you can't grow gills!"

Sango spluttered and looked murderously at Inuyasha, who was doing his little happy dance at his victory, while Kagome giggled.

She left him in the doorway and sat down again.

Sesshomaru paused, unsure of what to do. Should he leave or watch his brother make a fool of himself? Number two, definitely.

He sat down on a pillow quietly with amusement dancing in his eyes as he watched the betting contest.

It was Sango's turn. "Well that isn't fair!"

Inuyasha stuck out his tongue. "Yes it is! I can bet you to do whatever you want to!"

"Fine!" Sango replied. " I bet you can't……um…….jump out the window!"

She pointed to the window of Kagome's room, which overlooked into a muddy patch in the garden.

"Can too!"

"Can not!" Sango knew she was aggravating him, but enjoyed it all the same.

"Fine! Watch me!"

"The pleasures mine!" she said, and watched with a smirk as Inuyasha leaped out the window to land in the muddy garden.

"See?" he said triumphantly.

"Yep." she replied, laughing, as she calmly reached across and shoved Inuyasha, making him fall face first in the mud and then closing the window.

Sesshomaru smirked. _Trust Inuyasha to be that stupid!_

Kagome burst into laughter with Miroku and Kouga as they saw the evil grin on Sango's face.

"Now, he'll be the one needing gills!" she said, smirking.

The door flew open by a furious and very muddy and stinky Inuyasha. "uh…..Sango-chan…..I think you should run!" she whispered to Sango.

"Uh…..good idea!" Sango said, while she leapt to the other side of the room. Before she could run inside the bathroom, her fortress, though, Inuyasha tackled her and landed on top of her.

"Ah! Get off me!"

"Gladly!" he said with a grin.

He got off, but while Sango was getting up, he completed her look with a muddy hand all over her face.

Sango stood there, stupefied.

She was now covered in mud from Inuyasha, back and front and all over her face.

"INUYASHA!" she screeched.

Inuyasha dove under the bed.

She stomped inside the bathroom, and after washing her face and slightly cleaning her clothes, crept over to Kagome.

She whispered, "Kagome, do you have any…..balloons?"

Kagome grinned. " Ok, but then can I help?"

"Sure. Glad for your help!"

Kagome grabbed her backpack and ran inside the bathroom with Sango.

The bathroom was huge, and lavishly decorated as before.

Sango's muddy tracks covered the floor and looking even dirtier compared to the pearly white of he towels hanging on the wooden wall.

"Ok, how about I fill those, and you go get changed."

"Into what?"

"Hm….here."

Kagome pressed a pair of her clothes towards Sango who at first looked skeptical, then went behind the changing screen to peel of her mud caked clothes.

Kagome was almost done half of them when Sango emerged.

Kagome bit her lip.

"Uh…..Sango….your wearing the shirt inside out and the wrong way around." She informed the older girl, struggling to control her laughter.

"Really?" Sango went to change again. This time when she came out, she was wearing everything properly.

"Wow!" Kagome exclaimed. "Those really look good on you!"

"You think so?" Sango looked down at her black simple t shirt and blue tight denim capris.

Her hair was still wet, but spread over her back nonetheless.

"Yep, now come and help me fill these. Im almost done."

They both came out carrying a large bucket, full of water balloons.

Sesshomaru looked up to see them both, clad in strange clothes (as always for Kagome) and wearing large grins on heir faces.

Inuyasha, who was now sitting in the middle of Miroku and Kouga, apparently arguing about something, glanced at them and froze.

He knew his death sentence when he saw it.

He was still all muddy, only having bothered to clean his face.

Sango lifted a balloon and grinned.

She threw it at Inuyasha, and he still frozen in place, it hit him, smack in the face and popped, wetting his entire head and his shoulders.

Sesshomaru let out a small yelp of surprise and jumped to the side where he happened to run into Kouga, also curious about the unorthodox new weapon.

"What is that?" he asked Kouga, who shrugged.

"I dunno."

Sesshomaru reached out and gripped Kagome's hand, which was currently pulled back to ensure a god shot at Inuyasha, who was still frozen in place.

"What?" she hissed at him, annoyed.

"What is that?"

"What?"

"The weapon you're wielding!"

"Oh, this? " he nodded. " It's a water balloon."

He traced her arm with his claw lightly until he found the balloon in her hand.

He gently and cautiously took a hold of it from Kagome, who ran off to get another one.

He inspected the thing carefully. It seemed to be soft, and squishy, smelled like the bucket they drank water from, and water.

It was damp and cold against his skin. He lowered his face a little to observe more, and to see how it could be used, and unconsciously pressed it a bit.

SPLOOSH!

He yelped and jumped back, but only after he had wet his face and his hair.

He felt around his face. It seemed to be ordinary water.

No wonder they were using it on Inuyasha. It couldn't do any real harm!

In that case, he would use them, and figure out precisely how to throw these things. He watched Kagome and Sango aim at a now dodging and dripping wet Inuyasha, for a bit, until he walked over to the bucket. He reached inside, careful to keep his claws away from the balloons. He grabbed a red balloon out a variety of colors.

_Hm...I wonder if it being red has some other property…._

_No, Sesshomaru! They are just water balloons. Simply aim and throw!_

_Like this? _He stretched his arm facing her.

_Yes! And, keep your claws always from them, I see you've already managed to make one burst on you!_

_Not the most pleasant experience._

He released the balloon from his hand, and it went and splattered on target…………………Kagome.

"SESSHOMARU!" she thundered.

_I didn't mean for that!_

But she wouldn't listen. She took another balloon and threw it, to miss Sesshomaru by inches.

_Ha! You can't hit me!_

_I wouldn't be so sure if that if I were you!_

"Sango! Inuyasha! Anyone else who can throw! New target!" and she threw another balloon, which Sesshomaru dodged with ease.

Inuyasha scratched his head. _What? A second ago they were hitting him, and now, recruiting him to hit Sesshomaru? Oh well……as long as it's Sesshomaru…….or Kouga would be good too…._

He thought as he walked over to the still full bucket, dripping.

He took his stand by Kagome and Kouga, with Miroku and Sango on the other side.

They all spread out in Kagome's spacious and now drenched room.

Sesshomaru smirked. _A challenge. Inuyasha threw first, he dodged to the left. Then from Sango, to the right, Miroku, duck, Sango again, left, Kouga, up, Kagome, duck, Inuyasha, jump, Sango land on her left, Kagome, duck, ahhh!_

He was unable to jump, land and duck at the same time to avoid the barrage of water balloons, and Kagome's balloon hit him on his left thigh.

"See! HA! I can hit you!"

"I can hit back!" he raced over to the bucket, a blur, and grabbing a balloon, threw it at her slow figure.

Inuyasha, seeing this, raced in front of her, knocking her to the side, but getting hit squarely in the chest himself.

_Heroic idiot. _Sesshomaru thought sarcastically.

_I'm not complaining._

_Its in your favor._

_Yup. I'm so lucky!_

Sesshomaru, dodging the thrown balloons, lunged for the bucket and threw a yellow one at her. Inuyasha was too slow to see what was happening and it resulted in her getting her skirt and legs drenched.

_Not lucky now!_

Kagome yelled to someone to throw her a balloon while she tried to get up, and was thrown one by Kouga. But he threw it with a little too much force, that even when she caught it, it exploded, leaving her simmering and wetter then before.

"KOUGA!" she screamed.

"Uh oh…" he said and grabbed a balloon. _My woman can be really scary……. But if she liked to have fun, then fine with me!_

She let go of her balloon aimed straight for Kouga. He flung his balloon at her, but because both were in the process of attacking, they couldn't dodge, and it hit square in the face if both.

In the back, Sango was now having a duel with both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, both having teamed up to get her. She thrust her boomerang in front of her for cover, and threw out the side with Miroku, who was helping her.

The room was in total chaos everyone was throwing, dodging, missing, catching, hitting, getting hit, and drenched, but most of all, soaking the room.

Kouga jumped behind Miroku and held him by the neck.

"What?"

"You're my hostage!" Kouga grinned.

"Kagome, put the balloon down and back out the door, or Miroku gets it!" he held a balloon over Miroku's head as proof.

Kagome grinned. "it's every man for himself…or girl…whatever!" and proceeded to throw a balloon that showered water on both Kouga and Miroku.

They were united in their indignation.

They both roared and joined forces to get back at Kagome, who had now hid behind Inuyasha.

"What?" he asked, wondering why the sudden need of protection, while they were fighting Sango.

"Help!" she wailed. Inuyasha whipped around to see Miroku and Kouga both Kagome's rivals.

She bounced off and held him by the neck lightly.

"You're my body guard now!" she said brightly. "You hit me, you hit Inuyasha!" she yelled to Miroku and Kouga, fully expecting them to stop.

They simply shrugged and said, " I thought it was every man for himself?" and bombarded them with balloons.

Inuyasha turned around, an angrily amused expression on his face.

"Not now!" she dismissed his anger.

"We've got company!"

Pretty soon they were back to back with Sango, still aiming at Sesshomaru.

Things changed when one of Kagome's stray balloons burst on his shoulder, and Miroku was hit by Kouga. Then Inuyasha accidentally popped a balloon on both Kagome AND Sango, resulting in total chaos.

No one knew who their teams were anymore, just hit and dodge from and at anyone and everyone!

The door swung wide open. Everyone froze in place. Miroku and Kouga were on the floor, Kagome hiding under the bed, Sango behind her boomerang, and Inuyasha and Sesshomaru with balloons in their hands. They turned slowly to see Shippo, looking awestruck, in the doorway.

The room was vandalized, everything ripped and wet. There were several dents in the walls from where one of the heavier characters would lose their balance, and mud tracked all over the place too.

"And they say me and Rin are destructive!"

0000000000000000000000000000000000000

Hey! How'd you like that? Im sorry it wasnet really funny, but im out of funny ideas.

I need ideas or else I'll be in a writers block!

For some reason I still think that it would be impossible for kagome not to bring at least SOME things to her friends in the feudal era, like clothes….and games (water balloons) ect.

4ever disturbed:- thanxs, glad you liked it! It's alright if you missed one, but I do like it when you catch up on your reviews!

Michelle weasely fenton:- yeah, ok, it's alright. Yeah, I do thinks she's too soft…..

Airpeeps:- yep, and I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET! One of the main reasons I probably cant write fluff, is (don't laugh) I'm a thirteen year old tomboyish person!

So……I still view all the soppy stuff as soppy stuff……plz don't stop reading my fanfic now that I've revealed my true identity!


	35. Chapter 35

**Naraku's mind games**

**In pursuit of a library**

_Argh! I hate you, you stupid idiotic, moronic, miko!_

With this thought running through his mind, Sesshomaru bellowed in his gardens, "KAGOME!"

She took one fleeting look at him and scurried away.

Without a second thought, he gave chase.

Miroku and Sango kept to sitting in the lush grass, watching Sesshomaru chase Kagome ." I wonder what he wants now?" Sango mused.

Miroku shrugged, and then a sly smile crept across his perverted face .

" AH! PERVERT!"

The poor birds of the vicinity were forced to take refuge from the hideous noise and a annoyed (that's an understatement) demon slayer.

Kagome panted, running as fast as she could. She took the smallest passage she could, in hopes of slowing down the demon currently hot on her heels of current.

She had used all over her tricks, but to no avail. She couldn't make him flinch!

Except for…..

She led him to the unused part of his gardens, away from everyone, and in the middle of a big mud patch, "Fluffy!"

She knelt by him. "Now tell me why you were chasing me?"

Sesshomaru's stifled voice came out something suspiciously like 'stupid ignorant, moronic, degrading, goddamn miko.'

"I can't really get that, you know!" she reminded.

_Like you can get anything! You are un-comprehend-able, and cannot comprehend anything!_

_Ok, skip the dramatics! Quit beating around the bush!_

_Beating around the what?_

_Its an expression!_

He muttered, "Never again….." _Yeah, so what it is with you and your expressions? Especially the irrelevant ones! One of these days, I swear……_

She rolled her eyes at the figure in the mud and decided, for her own safety, she would run before Sesshomaru realized he was in a mud patch. His white clothes…..Oh heheh! It made her giddy just to think about it.

"What are you smirking at?" he asked Kagome suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at the mini skirt clad figure in front of him.

"Uh……. You look so cute when you're covered in mud!" she said coquettishly, totally forgetting that she was not supposed to remind him of how degrading he looked in the mud.

_Mud? He looked down. I hate you._

_Means nothing!_

_I still hate you._

_Why not telling me why you were chasing me?_

_Ah yes. About that. I hate you._

_Get on with it!_

_You, being the stupid, ignorant, crazy, dumb -_

_Why don't you splurge and skip the insults?_

_-miko you are, he pressed, stupidly gave permission of a project during my last meeting!_

_Wait….a second……I wasn't invited to any…..oh! The swap?_

_What else?_

_Actually I wondering if you had a party with every meeting or something……_

_I don't want to know. Anyway, as I was saying before a MORON interrupted me, you just gave permission to demolish and build my castle anew during the last swap!_

_Oh cool! Can I see the demolishing?_

_I don't want it to be demolished._

_Maybe Shippo would like to see it too….._

_-that's why I wasn't giving permission, but the lords wanted it, and now I cant go back….._

_Or even Inuyasha! He could even help with the demolishing! He'd love that!_

_-Because they'd never let me disagree now that they've already got 'my' permission once!_

_Hm…..I bet one sweep from the windscar would do it…….._

_See how much mess you have put the western lands into? In this time of famine, that much money can not be spent on extravagancies!_

_Or Miroku could suck it into his wind tunnel……_

_Are you even listening?_

_Sango's boomerang could do a bit better though……_

_What are you doing?_

_Uh…thinking up ways to demolish your castle?_

_I'M NOT GOING to demolish my castle! It's because you've been stupid enough to tell that to the nobles…._

_Hey! I only said yes to whatever they said! It was too boring to listen to anyway!_

_I'm going to go bald trying to change the opinions of my nobles now!_

Kagome giggled. Sesshomaru replayed what he just thought. _Going to go bald….oh dear…_

Sesshomaru tried to get up and felt pleased to see that the charm had worn off by now. He took one menacing step towards Kagome, who stepped back nervously.

"Uh……you don't want to kill me yet…."

"Why not?" he inquired.

She stepped back. "Uh…fluffy. that's your reason."

The fleeing girl looked over her shoulder to see the great demon lord plummet to the ground.

000000000000000000000000000000

Sorai stood in the corridor. "Oh dear." she kept muttering to herself. She had just been part of the many, many people who had witnessed Kagome (with Rin- who didn't really know what she was doing) running throughout the entire castle singing,

"Its raining its pouring…

Sesshy's gonna go balding

He'll lose his hair

and have no flair,

And would get up BALD in the morning!"

(a/n:- now like good little children fall over the edge of your chair, laughing yourself into hysterics……I am brilliant, aren't I?)

Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku were sitting on one side of the gardens, encouraging

Kagome with shouts every time she passed. As she was doing now.

"GO!"

"Keep going!"

"Yay Kagome!"

Sesshomaru took one look at her running past his secret study and groaned. The glass wasn't thick enough for it to be expected to keep out that annoying and loudly sung tune.

He wrapped a lock of hair around his finger and gazed at it intently. He hoped to every god imaginable he would never have to cross the bridge of balding.

As said before, he liked his hair, even in vain of it.

That meant he did not take kindly to having songs sung about the time he lost it by a certain miko all around his castle, well.

He got up with another groan, and deliberately pushed his chair back to make a loud crash in the stone floor.

Jaken came running. He always knew when his master was in a particular mood, but was always dim-witted enough to stay close to him. Call it loyalty, or stupidity.

The next few minutes saw Jaken kicked outside the doorway, and Sesshomaru in one of his frequent I'm-pissed-off-with-the-world moods.

Luckily for everyone also who had a wit of fear for their lives, no one got in his way while he found Kagome, scurrying past him in the corridor.

As she saw him her pace changed from a delightfully cheery saunter, to a full fledged run with her screaming for Inuyasha. (Rin had gotten tired of this and had gone to play with Shippo)

She didn't have time to lead him into small passages where he couldn't run, so he caught up to her fairly easily and held with one arm around her neck, pinning her.

"Calling to Inuyasha to come and save you now, wench?" he growled. "God knows you need to be saved."

"INUYASHA! HELP! YOUR CRAZY PHYSCO BROTHER IS TRYING TO KILL ME!"

Before Sesshomaru could move to cover her mouth though, Inuyasha was sliding past her, with his hand on Tetsuiga to come knock Sesshomaru back into his senses.

"Hey!" Kagome called. "Chill!"

Inuyasha loosened his grip on the Tetsuiga and leaned casually against the wall. "Fine, happy now?"

"Uh no!" she choked out.

"You're hurting her!" Inuyasha hollered at Sesshomaru, now with his Tetsuiga whipped out.

Sesshomaru loosened her a bit.

_No! Kagome! Is he hurting you? He'd better not be hurting you! I'll kill him!_

Kagome smirked a bit. _Had Sesshomaru really thought she was all that weak?_

"Uh! Cant breathe!" she mocked, choked out.

He loosened her a bit more, peering at her face from around her shoulders to make sure she wasn't dying.

He didn't really want her dead, she could still be useful. He had also developed the slightest acceptance for his brother and her together, even if they didn't admit it, although he dare not even think (or admit it himself) it.

Kagome smirked a bit more. Shem using her now free leg, kicked the great Sesshomaru where ever she could reach, and fluffy'd him as soon as she stepped away.

"Don't worry! I can take care of myself too, you know!" she smiled sweetly at a dumbfounded Inuyasha, still wondering how the scene had managed to get from Kagome being choked by Sesshomaru to Sesshomaru on the floor in a matter of seconds.

"Having a hard time believing that?" Inuyasha nodded dumbly. "Sit. That's how."

Inuyasha muttered something in the dirt that was incoherent, but his thoughts were crystal clear.(not in meaning) _Damn it Kagome, what with the vicious behavior? God you look scary when you're grumpy like this! First you call me then sit me! I'm not your slave! Ok…..you don't think I am, but I am! Damn it, that has nothing to do with the argument! Am I her slave? She sits me, and I protect her, and feeds me, and keep her away from danger, she sits me, and I help her, she sits me, and I carry her around……I guess I really am her slave……._

_NO! must not think that! But you don't mind! Mind what? Being her slave! Of course I don't! I do……do I?_

Kagome sighed. Inuyasha's thoughts were never going to make any sense. All she could deduct from this that she was still in Inuyasha's good books.

She apologized, helped Inuyasha up, and walked off to meet Sango and Miroku in the garden, leaving Sesshomaru in the mud.

00000000000000000000000000000000

Naraku dragged himself into the area his house was. He was leaning heavily on a stick he had picked up where his barrier bubble burst.

"Naraku!" his mother gasped and ran up to him from the window.

"We were worried sick, where did you go? We found Kohaku in the bushes, he didn't remember anything, why are you so pale? What happened to you? Were you……."

And the sight and sound of his mother faded as he fell into unconsciousness.

00000000000000000000000000000000

Kagome was at the dinner table. She was ravenously hungry, but wondered how to hide herself from a certain lord who was going to be sitting next to the guests table. After all she didn't sing songs about him, run away from him, and then fluffy him in the mud TWICE for nothing!

She decided she should ask one of the servants to bring her dinner up to her room, as she 'wasn't feeling well.'

Spinning around, she decided to ask Sorai to come up to the room with her, as it would make the servant much more willing to bring their food up there if someone like her was there.

"Sorai!" she tapped her on the shoulder, interrupting her conversation with a stuffy looking nobleman.

"What is it?" she asked pleasantly, turning around. "Uh…..I am not feeling well at the idea of seeing Sesshomaru right now, if you're not busy, could you come up with me?"

She got up and smiled a wide grin at Kagome. "Thank goodness you arrived. I was dying to throw off THAT noble."

The noble narrowed his eyes at Sorai and seemed to mutter some incoherent words to himself before turning away.

Sorai and Kagome went around in circles, trying their hardest to locate a servant who could bring their food up to them and without asking too many questions. Finally they bumped into one, literally. He also proceeded to spill hot tea all over the floor and some on both the ladies that had crashed into him.

Sorai whipped around, her kimono all wet with scorching hot tea. "where do you think your going mister? Watch where you walk won't you? Now look what you've - huh?"

She looked to see Kagome tugging on her kimono. "Do I know you from somewhere….?" she asked suspiciously. The guy seemed to be only about twenty years ago, with black hair pulled up in a ponytail, and face downcast but still slightly recognizable.

"Huh?" he raised his gaze to fall on Kagome, and exclaimed, " Oh yes! You are lady Kagome, are you not?"

Sorai looked from one earnest face to the other. "And you…….ah! Now it's coming back to me! You're Nobunaga! Uh…..Amari Nobunaga?"

"Correct my lady! How pleasing it is to run into you again!" he exclaimed, obviously having no doubts about who Kagome is.

She grabbed his hand and led him into his room with Sorai trailing behind her, still looking confused, and his muttering something about having to go serve somebody.

"Oh no you don't!" Kagome proclaimed. "You're not going anywhere until we catch up!"

"But…..lady…..I must complete my tasks set for today…" he mumbled.

"Royal frostbite can wait." she replied.

"Royal….who?" Nobunaga asked, confused.

"Frostbite…..oh! You mean Lord Sesshomaru!" Sorai laughed. Kagome did have a knack for making funny nicknames.

"No, I mean royal frostbite!" Kagome replied peevishly.

Sorai giggled a bit. "Wait till his court get a hold of this!"

Kagome stopped outside her door. She pushed knobbing in, and after telling them to stay put, or else, ran back to the dinner table in search of Inuyasha.

Miroku, Sango and Shippo didn't even know him, so she figured she'd better have them eat their dinner in peace first.

She tore through the hallways, and past the gardens, until she ran smack into a pair of golden eyes. Not bothering to look further, she grabbed his hand to tried to lead him to her bedroom when she heard a voice say, "Miko?"

"Whoops!" and she ran off without giving Sesshomaru a chance to catch and do something about her misdeeds earlier today.

This time she ran straight into the dining room where servants were just about to serve the meal.

"Inuyasha!" she panted. "Come! I have someone for you to meet!"

"You guys eat dinner then come up! I don't want you to be missing your meal." Sango and Miroku nodded. Shippo was still somewhere with Rin.

She led a puzzled Inuyasha to her room, pausing to look around corners to make sure Sesshomaru was no where in sight. One run in was enough for today.

"Uh….Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"What?"

"Uh….why are we sneaking around up to your room?"

"I don't want to run into royal frostbite."

"Say what?….oh! Sesshomaru! Ok, but why not?"

"Uh…..Inuyasha, I've been singing songs about him going bald, then sitting him twi- Oh my god! Inuyasha! I am so sorry!" she apologized as he flew to the ground.

"Damn wench! He doesn't even get sat! he gets fluffy'd!"

"Im sorry!" she said again as she helped him get up now.

"Are we there yet?" he asked gruffly.

"Yep!" she smiled, and pushed Inuyasha into the room.

"Inuyasha, do you remember who he is?" she asked, his gaze immediately locking on Nobunaga.

"Of course! He's that fall-off-a-cliff-idiot-with-a-monkey-boy-who-was-in-love-with-that-princess, we helped him save!" he said immediately, punching him in the back playfully. He fell over with the impact. "Uh…oops. Wasn't supposed to hit that hard…."

"So, Nobunaga, where is your monkey?" Kagome asked, pausing to help him up.

He whistled. A monkey poked his head around the door a moment later.

Sorai stifled a flinch. Monkeys lived on trees, and she hated trees.

He jumped into Amari's arms. "There's my boy! Do you remember them, Hiyoshimaru?"

The monkey nodded and proceeded to prove it by rooting through Kagome's back pack for food.

"Yep, he remembers alright!" Kagome laughed as Inuyasha tried to shoo the monkey away from his ramen.

Sorai sat silently. _How exactly had they encountered Nobunaga before?_

She decided to pose her question to Kagome.

"So how exactly do you know each other?"

"Oh! We were looking for jewel shards and came across him and his monkey in a fortress. We helped him defeat the wait….what was it?"

Inuyasha spoke up. "The ninety ninth frog of the ninety ninth generation who had possessed some weird crazy guy who was his-" he pointed to Nobunaga, who lowered his head. "romantic rival!"

Sorai looked at Nobunaga. "You helped save your romantic rival from death?"

"Yeah…..that's me, the world's biggest idiot. But it's alright now, because the princess had been widowed and she married me afterward, leaving her lands to the deceased lord's nephew."

"Oh? Than congratulations to you, Nobunaga!" Kagome patted him on the head.

"then what are you doing here anyway?"

"I was appointed Lady Rin's tutor." he replied.

"Ah! So you're the guy she hates so much!" Kagome exclaimed, remembering Rin's and Shippo's plans to get back at him. She decided not to enlighten him of this fact.

"So….where's the princess…..Tsuyu?" Inuyasha scratched his head.

"You remember her name?"

"It's hard to forget when you witnessed you running through an entire castle yelling her name fifty million times!" Inuyasha said dryly.

"She's currently Rin's tutor in dancing, arts and calligraphy."

"So she's here with you?"

"Yes. She had been called." he patted Hiyoshimaru.

Inuyasha turned to kKgome. "Uh…Kagome? Why do you and Sorai both smell like tea?"

Nobunaga lowered his face.

"Ah, nothing! I should go get changed now.." and she ran off in the bathroom to change into the jeans and shirt Sango had worn the day before yesterday.

Sorai stood up and bowed. "I might as well see to a servant bringing us food."

She returned as Kagome was exiting the bathroom.

"Food's ready!" she returned with a servant who scurried away after setting the tray down and princess Tsuyu.

She went up immediately to Inuyasha. "Ah! Mister! I had not gotten the chance to thank you before, but I thank you now for helping Nobunaga save me from that toad!"

"Feh. It was nothing."

"I am in your debt."

They ate their food in silence, and Nobunaga and princess Tsuyu left with Hiyoshimaru.

Kagome pranced over to Inuyasha. "How great is our running into Nobunaga?"

"Im bored."

She sat down next to him. "Me too."

"What to do?"

"I dunno……hey, Inuyasha?" she asked.

"What?"

"Does Sesshomaru's castle have like anything else to do?"

"How would I know?" he asked her.

"Uh….exactly how many years have you lived here exactly?"

"Yeah….right…..um.. There's a bathing area, gardens, dining hall, bedrooms, servant quarters…..uh….and political halls" kagome shuddered.

"Training area for the army and the secret stuff, like passage ways and Sesshomaru's secret study and secret conference room."

"Cool!" Kagome exclaimed, her eyes as wide as saucers.

"Where is the army training facility?" she asked, curious to see how it looked like.

"Uh…..I don't really remember. It was secret, for one thing, I know that. I don't really know where it is, although Im guessing it must be huge, 'cause Sesshomaru's army is too, and I kinda remember the inside. It's just like a normal hall with a few rooms attaching, and windows….."

Kagome smiled. "Inuyasha, before we leave to get Naraku, we will find the training facility. Ok?"

"Finally a challenge!"

After running wildly in the corridors for about two to three hours, Kagome came to a stop. She grabbed Inuyasha as he ran by, and panted, "Well….plan A isn't working!"

"Well…..what do you suggest?"

"Did we even have a plan?" she asked, tapping her head to try and recall.

"I don't think so…." Inuyasha said thoughtfully.

"WHAT? You mean we've been randomly wildly running around for three hours, AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A PLAN?"

"Well I thought we'd stumble across it sooner or later…." Inuyasha said, still in his thoughtful mode.

"Idiot!" and she slapped him across the head.

"Hey! What was that for? Wench!" he shouted as she closed her eyes and ears, trying to think.

He slapped him across the head again. "For not letting me concentrate!"

Inuyasha grumbled something incoherent, but then quieted down eventually.

"Ah! Inuyasha, you remember the training rooms having windows, right?"

"Yeah…" he said meticulously, worried about every last detail.

" What did they look out into?"

"Hm… I think in the secret gardens….."

"Oh great! Why is everything so damn SECRET?"

"Wait……I know that all the secret things are together. The training facility, gardens, study and secret library are all together to provide the minimum people knowing about them."

"Ok…..any other clue?" she asked him. She was going to go up and demand to know the location from Sesshomaru himself if she didn't find the thing soon.

"Uh……" he struggled to grasp any other details that might come in handy.

"Um………I know the secret library's entrance is somewhere from inside the un-secret library!" he exclaimed, giddy at the fact he was able to recall a useful piece of information.

"Fine. Off to the library we go!" Kagome said, and dragged Inuyasha to the great hall before pausing and asking meekly, "Uh…..where was the grand library again?"

Inuyasha sighed.

And she said HE was immature.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Yay!

I was actually starting to think that writing all those sad/ drama chapters might have stinted my joke cracking mind, but I THINK I was wrong. A big I THINK there.

Please tell me which part you thought was the funniest, and I'll be obliged!

I think my chapter are getting short again, after five super long chappie's this one is ten pages, whilt they all were anywhere from 10-20 pages long. Oh well, strtched out chapters arent fun to write or read.

And another thing, I've started two more funny stories on my account, please check them out. And another note. 'reasons' is not to be taken seriously in any way, at all. I know they are loops in the plot, huge holes, but I couldn't resist writing and posting that chapter of it. (oh and Naraku had a personality disorder, he's not gay or a cross dresser…..he really does think he's a girl…….couldn't resist…hehe….)

Reviews:-

Airpeeps:- yeah, glad you liked it and thanks for the idea and for the help!

Help-me-fly-or-watch-me-fall :- yeas, and THANK YOU for all the compliments. And don't worry I have no intention of stopping this story as of yet. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Keep reviewing!

Kagome -loves-Kouga :- yeah, thanks for the ideas and for liking to read my last chapter! Keep reviewing and I hope you enjoyed this one too!

4-ever-disturbed:- yeah, thanks. Glad you liked it and I hope you liked this chapter!

Miichelle Weasely Fenton:- thanks, glad you liked it! Keep reviewing!

J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J


	36. Chapter 36

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**The library**

Kagome stood speechless as she viewed the huge library in front of her.

"Oh wow!" she breathed.

"Yeah….it's a bit big." Inuyasha said.

"A bit? It's the biggest library I have ever seen!"

"This is nothing. The secret library is even bigger then this!"

"Ok, so back on track. The secret portion of the castle. Where is it?"

"There IS supposed to be like a swinging bookshelf, or a sliding wall, or a door that looks like a wall, or a window that is actually the doorway."

"Those are an awful lot of choices to look for." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"So, what do we do now?" Inuyasha asked.

"Um….randomly crash into walls looking for doors?"

"Har har. Very funny. No seriously, what are we going to do? What's the plan?"

He turned serious.

"Inuyasha, that is the plan!"

"Well that's the stupidest plan I've ever heard of!"

Kagome put her hands on her hips. " I don't see you coming up with a better one!"

Inuyasha scratched his head. "Good point."

In the next two hours, they were able to search a tenth of the library, pushing at every stone they could reach, pulling out books, bumping into walls, etc.

After that exhausting workout, Kagome was really annoyed.

"JAKEN!" she screamed, summoning the little servant.

"Jaken shall not be expected to attend to hum-" he spluttered as Kagome caught him with her foot on his throat.

"Where's the s-" Inuyasha had just clamped his hand on her mouth.

"Ok, toad, you go." Jaken scurried away.

Kagome wrenched his hand off her mouth. "Inuyasha-"

"Look, we can't go around asking everybody for instructions there! It SECRET, remember?"

"Oh…yeah…" she looked crestfallen.

"Why don't we search the library other how?"

They wandered through the fiction, non-fiction, old records, and finally the frightening sappy poetry section too.

"This sucks. I'm dead tired now, and I have no idea where the damn library is." she said as she slid to the ground, leaning on the wall.

She picked up a random book and threw it on the opposite wall to release her temper. She wasn't expecting a portion of the wall to drop and move out of the way. So when it did, she let out a long string of curses which came form the long association with Inuyasha.

"Damn you!" she cursed as she staggered over to the entrance. She had half a mind to not even go inside because of the annoyance the secret library had cause her, but then her curiosity easily overpowered that urge.

The inside of the secret library was even grander then the other one. It almost thrice as large, with doors leading off on the sides. The ceiling was covered in exquisite paintings, and silken clothes decorated the walls. There were pillows on the huge lush green carpet, making an elegant combination with the brown wood of the bookshelves and the white colored pillows.

On top of each elegant maghony door was a golden plate which said where the door led to in kanji.

After looking at the various places, including training grounds, they kicked open the door and ventured in.

It was a grey stony hall with a weapon rack on one side, and there were a few demons dueling each other to the corner.

Once Inuyasha walked in, they bowed and greeted him, "Good evening prince Inuyasha. How nice it is to see you!" a taller bear demon said.

"Hey." said Inuyasha, his voice gruff. "You know I never went for the whole bowing prince Inuyasha thing. Get up Warmog."

The bears demons stood up and the one named Warmog embraced Inuyasha.

"Challenge you a duel? I'd like to see how much you've improved in the past about……a hundred years before I last challenged you."

Inuyasha smirked. "Sure, but some other time. We," he motioned to Kagome, "we looking around the castle. Ill come back some other time."

Warmog grinned and bowed again. "You know that ticks me off?" Inuyasha said irritably.

"That's why I do it, prince." Warmog grinned again.

"Come on Kagome. Let's leave this old geezer to his elegant fantasies." he called Kagome by the weapon rack.

"So….do you still like pointy things?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Kagome blushed as she was rudely reminded of the time when Sorai caught them all, drunk, on tape, with Kagome running around with tensiuga shouting 'I like pointy things!'

"Uh…..yeah…. I guess.." she said.

"here!" he handed him a light metal katana and grabbed a wooden one himself.

"We're gonna spar!" he exclaimed, almost giddy.

Kagome backed away. "Oh no we're not…." she said nervously, her hand shaking at the katana.

"Oh come on…..please?" He looked so pitiful that Kagome agreed.

His expression changed suddenly when he grabbed his wooden katana with a self assured smirk and proposed that they bet a batch of chocolate on who won. "I've wanted to do this ever since I knew your love for pointy things." he added.

Kagome resultantly agreed. She knew she had NO CHANCE against Inuyasha, but he seemed so childishly happy that she agreed to give him his precious chocolate.

And so they sparred. By the end of ten minutes, Kagome was out of breath, and on the padded floor for the thousandth time. She had, however, through the element of surprise, managed to give Inuyasha a small dot on the shoulder. Pity she couldn't sit him…. But then it was only fair seeing as he only used a hundredth of his strength and energy on her.

"You can have your damn chocolate!" she announced to him while he carried her back to her room. She was waaayy to tired to walk to her room as of now.

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Kagome stormed through the hallways, shouting at the top of her voice, "SESSHOMARU! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"

A white figure darted up and shut her mouth for her. "What do you want, miko? Why are you waking up the entire castle?" he shook her a bit.

"Get your hand off me, first of all." she said and shoved Sesshomaru's clawed hand off her mouth.

_Second, I was wondering how we are going to get Naraku now? Its been almost five days at your castle and we aren't even getting a lead on, neither have we been switched!_

Sesshomaru stared at her. _You woke me and my entire castle up at three in the morning to ask me that?_

_Yes, yes I did. _She replied, defiant.

_Look miko. I am sleepy. I have no idea what is going on right now. I am having trouble concentrating. So why don't you do the entire castle a favor and go to sleep!_

_I'm not sleepy! _She complained.

_That's it. _He picked her up from the waist and flung her over his shoulder.

She pounded on his back. _Put me down! Where are you taking me?_

He stayed silent.

Five minutes later she was just giving him glares. She had tried pounding on his back, screaming, pinching, even tickling didn't work! She didn't dare subdue him for fear of landing under him again, like the many other previous times.

Finally he stopped outside her room. He opened the door, rummaged through the closet for something long, tied her down with it, threw her on the bed and wishing her goodnight, walked out the door.

_Why that little! How dare he tie me to my bed!_

_I only tied you down because you woke me up, and you said you weren't sleepy, so I made sure that at least you couldn't move around._

_Get over here and cut me free!_

_No. And as to your question, we will stay here until we catch a minion again, or get a lead on, or at least until the swap occurs again._

_And how long do you think that would be?_

_It depends. We may be gone as early as two days later, or we may be here for a week or two more. After that, I think Inuyasha would not wait and take you jewel hunting again._

_Ok, now come over here and untie me, and I promise I won't go out of my room._

_Not a chance._

_Please? Pretty please?_

_No._

_You'll regret it._

_Try what you might._

With that he walked off to his room to go to sleep.

After barely ten minutes of peaceful bliss, a voice pierced through the silence with amazing shrillness.

"**WAKE UP EVERY ONE IN ROYAL FROSTBITE'S CASTLE! TIME TO RISE AND SHINE HERE, GET UP TO DO YOUR WORK OR LAZE ABOUT LIKE HE DOES ALL THE TIME!**

**NOW, AS YOU GET UP, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IN EACH ROOM THERE IS BOX UNDER THE BED CONTIANING A PIECE OF JAKEN!**

**YES, I HAVE BRUTALLY MURDERED JAKEN AND CUT HIM UP SO ALL GET A PIECE! ISNT THAT JUST SO SWEET OF ME?**"

A few grumbles at that announcement. No one really cared for Jaken.

Poor Imp.

"**IF YOU HAVE NOT FOUND THE BOX BY NOW, YOU ARE:-**

**A. STUPID**

**B. BLIND**

**C. STUPID AND BLIND**

**OR, D. BALD LIKE SESSHOMARU!!**"

She cackled loudly.

Sesshomaru groaned. The miko's lung and voice power was astonishingly loud, and it didn't help that the castle was full of demons with extremely sensitive hearing. Knowing HER stubborn personality, she was very unlikely to shut up anytime soon.

He groaned again and rolled off the bed. He would have to shut that miko up himself.

" **SO AS I WAS SAYING, THERE IS A PIECE OF JAKEN IN THE BOX. PLEASE PROCEED TO EAT IT. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU CAN'T ESCAPE A TERRIBLE CURSE THAT SOME GOD FORSAKEN PIECE OF SHIT ENCHANTRESS IS GONNA CAST ON THIS ENTIRE CASTLE 'CAUSE SESSHOMARU THE BRAT WOULDENT LEY HER PET HIS FLUFFY. HE IS A MORON ISN'T HE?**"

Sesshomaru groaned louder and threw on a decent robe.

"**OR YOU CAN RUN TO SESSHOMARU'S OFICE IN YOUR UNDIES AND ESCAPE THE CURSE THAT WILL TURN YOU BALD THERE! YOUR CHOICE FOLKS!**"

She put in a newscaster voice. "**THIS WAS A PUBLIC EDUCATION SERVICE DONE BY KAGOME YOURS TRULY. HUGS AND KISSES, I LOVE YOU ALL TO DEATH ( LITERALLY) OR TURNING BALD, AND I HOPE YOU ALL ESCAPE THE CURSE! SEE YA!**"

There was a unnatural silence. Then was a lot of grumbling and whispering for as far as Kagome could hear.

She snickered and screamed with her already hoarse voice, " **P.S. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS SONG WITH YOU, **

**JINGLE BELLS  
SOMEONE SMELLS  
ROBIN LAYED AN EGG!**

**OH WHAT FUN-GMPH!**"

Sesshomaru had just stormed to her room and stuffed a gag in her mouth.

_What do you think you're doing? _He asked dangerously.

_Uh, singing modified Christmas carols? _She offered.

_My point being, SHUT UP!_

_You can't make me! _She challenged, and spit out her gag.

"**INUYASHA! HELP! YOUR MENTALLY RETARDED BROTHER IS TRYING TO MURDER ME AGAIN!**" she screamed before he stuffed the gag back in her mouth, locked her door from the outside and ran up to sleep before she could say 'sleep deprived'. (even if she didn't have a gag in her mouth)

Inuyasha slid and knocked the door down while hero music played in the background. He had a French handsome moustache, his hair half thrown over his face, his chest thrown out in pride, and said in a deep voice, "'Tis I, Inuyasha, come to save the pretty damsel in distress from my evil step brother!" he brandished his sword and leapt into the darkness, ready to fight his life away for the pretty maiden. With one stroke he killed the evil dragon step-brother, and carried the damsel away to safety where they fell in love and lived happily ever after.

JUST KIDDING! (a/n: boy that was fun!; oh, and that's about the best fluff I can do. Ok….wait for it….there is fluff coming soon….in another chapter. So don't get on my back.)

Inuyasha slid by the door a millisecond after his brother left. He knocked at the door and asked softly, "Kagome? Are you ok?" he heard some muffled sounds and decided to knock open the door.

He pushed with all his might, but the door just wouldn't budge. He tried smashing his side into it, but god dammit they had THICK doors. He only had one resort left. He whipped out his sword and stabbed it into the door that was separating him from Kagome.

He tried pushing it down, to no avail. Then he pushed it up, but it was stuck fast.

"Goddamn door!" Inuyasha cursed as he prepared to rip the door to pieces. He looked on the right of the room he had just burst into to see Kagome tied up on the bed with a gag in her mouth.

He raced over to her side, cut through the bonds and helped her get up.

She had a wild look in her eye which made Inuyasha almost feel sorry for Sesshomaru. Deciding to break the silence, he asked, "So….what was it about the running around in undies thing you were just shouting about?" he asked casually.

She turned slowly to face him, still taking deep breaths.

She got an evil grin on her face. "Inuyasha, your brother is going to regret the second he crossed my path." Inuyasha took one look at the disgruntled hair, pale face, and evil grin and concluded, _yep, Sesshomaru, you are going to have a little trip to hell…….._

0000000000000000000000000

Twenty minutes later, she and Inuyasha were both in the corridor, fully ready for the plan to take place.

Kagome was dressed in one of Sango's kimonos, with blue eye liner and red lipstick helping her disguise herself. She had her hair up in a tight bun with a clip on the end and was walking in simple slippers.

Inuyasha had taken off his haori to reveal the white shirt underneath, and had (with much trial and error) donned a pair of jeans Kagome had originally bought for Miroku.

(a/n: a thought just struck me, Kagome must bring at least some clothes and modern stuff for the gang…right?)

He also had a baseball cap on but was barefoot.

"Uh….Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered as they prepared to leave.

"What?" she hissed back.

"How are we going to mask out scents?" he asked.

Kagome mentally kicked herself for forgetting that. She went inside her room and came out a second later with a bottle of 'axe' and of 'exclamation'.

After spraying the perfumes on the appropriate gender coordinated destinations, she immediately noticed something wrong with Inuyasha. His eyes were starting to get a bit dizzy and he wasn't walking straight.

"Oh on! Did I spray too much? I only wanted to hide your scent!" she fretted over him. He simply grimaced and signaled that he was alright, as he struggled to regain control over his senses.

"Lets ngo!" (Let's go!) he said with his hand over his nose. "idm aldright!" (I'm alright!)

Kagome nodded. She would not allow that idiot Sesshomaru to get away with thinking her could tie her up anytime she wanted just because she promised not to subdue him in front of anyone.

She downcast her face, tried to guess where the hell Sesshomaru's bedroom would be. Not finding anything of use in her own memory, she turned around to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, where do you think Sesshomaru's bedroom is?" she whispered.

By this time the perfumed smell had almost overcome him. But he still managed to get out an answer, "I dhink ind dhe west wding……Id'm a ldittle tead cudp, shordt and sdtout.." (I think in the west wing…I'm a little teacup, short and stout) he wriggled his arm in the teacup pose.  
Kagome rolled her eyes and bit her tongue as he continued, (a/n: just imagine the nasal voice) " Here is my handle….here is my spout…."

( a/n: who remembers THAT song?)

They snuck to the entrance of the west wing. They were a few guards standing outside the magnificent entrance.

Kagome walked right up to the uniform clad guards.

"Excuse me, Lord Sesshomaru has summoned us here." _Goddamn it! I hate this stupid night job…..I can't believe that Haku managed to trick me into this stupid duty for one night……._

The wolf guards look at each other. "Did he? What might he summon you for?" _she looks a bit familiar….._

Kagome smirked and took out a pair of earplugs out of her pocket. "These. I do believe that crazy miko wouldn't consider quieting down anytime soon, and he asked for these." _Ah….I can't believe I actually had to stop roundabout five people in their underwear rushing to Sesshomaru's office….all thanks to her…_

Kagome had to bit her tongue to keep from laughing at this.

The guard nodded and said, "Who he is?" pointing to a disguised Inuyasha.

"Uh…..he's my guard?" _please be stupid enough to believe that….please please please….._she chanted. _Please don't see his current position….. _She hoped as hard as she could as she surveyed Inuyasha humming and singing under his breath in his almost-knocked-out-of-his-mind voice.

"Where are the hopes? Where are the dreams?  
My Cinderella story scene. When do you think  
they'll finally see...

That you're not, not, not, gonna get any better,  
you won't, won't, won't, you won't get rid of me  
never, like it or not even though she's a lot like  
me.…"

Kagome tried so desperately not to laugh. She tried so hard. A thought occurred to her. _Wait a second…shouldn't I be singing that particular paragraph?  
_  
"We're not the same, and yeah, yeah, yeah  
I'm a lot to handle, if you don't know, shove it,  
I'm a hell of a scandal, me, I'm a scene, I'm a  
drama queen,"

Inuyasha posed with both hands artfully up in the air. (a/n:- uh….think lovesick princess calling to the moon, or Ayame from Fruits Baskets in one of his poses….. I love that character!)

"I'm the best damn thing that your  
eyes have ever seen!

I hate it when a guy doesn't understand why a  
certain time of month, I don't want to hold his  
hand,"

Kagome did a double take.

"I hate it when they go out and we stay  
in, and they come home smelling like their  
ex-girlfriends...

I found my hopes, I found my dreams.  
My Cinderella story scene. Now everybody's  
gonna see..…"

"Oh god…." Kagome breathed through her fits of laughter.

"We're not the same, and yeah, yeah, yeah  
I'm a lot to handle, if you don't know trouble,  
I'm a hell of a scandal, me, I'm a scene, I'm a  
drama queen, **I'm the best damn thing that your  
eyes have ever seen!**"

He shouted the last bit as Kagome slipped and fell on her butt wiping the tears of joy from her eyes.

"Guard, eh?" The wolf demon raised his eyebrows after gaping at Inuyasha sing for about three minutes straight with his jaw dropped and rolling on the ground.

"Um…….and lord Sesshomaru summoned him too, for what reason, I am unsure of."

The wolf nodded. _I do think they are telling the truth……._

"Allow me to escort you." Kagome cursed in her mind. _God this guy has to be THICK! Letting me and Inuyasha through when he just witnessed Inuyasha singing that girly girl song……. Damn myself for not having my camera right now…._

"Uh….no….um…we can go by ourselves…." _Please don't come with us please don't come with us…_.she prayed.

It seemed the gods were also wanting to have some fun because after thinking a bit, the guard let them through with no hard feelings.

"Alright!" Kagome cheered as the guard finally left in front of the hallway in which their current target was sleeping.

Inuyasha's eyes were now unfocused and he was drooling a bit. He tried to take a step forwards but ended up steering wildly to the left, and almost losing his balance.

"Oh for heaven sake!" said Kagome peevishly as she slung one of Inuyasha's arm around her shoulder and tried to help him walk straight. " Frere Jacques….

Frere Sesshy..

Dorme vous?  
Sonnez les matines,  
Ding Ding Dong,  
Ding Ding Dong.

We're gonna kick your ass…..

Your ass we're gonna kick….

You shouldn't be sleeping….

We'll send you to hell and bring you back!"

He giggled at his added lyrics.

She crept up to the door and pressed her ear to it. Although her hearing was

nowhere as good as a demon's, she could tell by the deep even breathing that he was asleep.

Not that she could hear much with the racket Inuyasha was making.

"Hark! Hark! The dogs do bark,  
The beggars are coming to town.  
Some in rags,  
And some in tags,  
And one in Sesshy's gown….."

" Oh for the love of god, shut up!" she ordered a dizzy Inuyasha.

She licked her dry lips and slowly, grimacing at the noise, she tried to push open the door. He had just switched from that song to a much more realistic one that matched his circumstances perfectly.

"Do you have the time to listen to me whine  
About nothing and everything all at once  
I am on oh those  
Melodramatic fools  
Neurotic to the bone no doubt about it

Sometimes i give myself the creeps  
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me  
It all keeps adding up  
I think I'm cracking up  
Am I just paranoid?  
I'm just stoned…."

_Or had an 'axe' overdose….._Kagome rolled her eyes. _What with all the songs? _She pondered.

"Damn." She cursed quietly as she heard some shuffling and a deep voice called out, "Who is it?"

Inuyasha answered for her, " The itsy bitsy spider!"

Sesshomaru asked groggily, " Say what?"

Inuyasha continued his mix up of childhood poems. "Had a little lamb….out came the sun and jack and Jill went up the hill…."

She gulped and hoped to all gods he didn't recognize her. "Ah, lord Sesshomaru, 'ere are the earplugs you majesty asked for." she said, putting on a heavy accent.

Sesshomaru must have been really sleepy, because then he asked in a confused voice, "Wait …..I did?" _I have to admit earplugs do sound good against that Higurashi girl……._

"'Aye milord." she responded, her heart pounding. _I didn't even think Sesshomaru knew my last name!_

He got up and groggily opened the door, his hair falling over his bare chest. The fragrance of the perfume did nothing to wake him up, actually it made his senses even more blurry.

"Here, milord." she handed him the earplugs with a wicked grin on her face. As he was looking down at them for a fraction of a second, Kagome whipped out the perfume bottled and sprayed it in his face.

"Wha…..?" he wobbled a bit, trying to grasp what had happened. (it didn't help his senses that Inuyasha had just wobbled over to him and yelled out of the blue in his ear, " **POP! ****GOES THE PUPPY!**")

Then Kagome, reaching out to make sure Inuyasha didn't bump into a wall while trying to laugh quietly,( and sing 'old MacDonald had a farm….eieio….') took the great demon lord's arm and helped him groggily sit down on his bed.

"What happened?" he said, his voice starting to regain his normal coldness.

Kagome leaned closer to his ear and said, " Never tie me up again, fluffy. Never again, fluffy. Fluffy, fluffy, fluffy. Now go to sleep fluffy. Instantly fluffy. Right now, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy." She smirked as the bed broke from in the middle under Sesshomaru's weight and the rosary power dragging him to the ground.

She reached over, slammed one of the left over water balloons into his face, grabbed Inuyasha, and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

Sesshomaru was now lying in a broken bed, unable to see or smell from the sharp perfume on his face, and his hair and face dripping from the lavender scented soapy water in the water balloon she threw in his face.

The guards looked by at her running figure. "Uh…..mob of people in the their underwear attacking me?" she swindled and raced off, pausing to make sure Inuyasha didn't trip over his feet too much. (he was too busy trying to count his feet)

The guards turned solemnly to each other and sprinted the other way, off on a wild goose chase to find a 'mob' of people in their underwear. They would be looking all night.

Kagome ran into the common room and bolted the door behind her. She set Inuyasha down on the sofa, where her flopped over happily and started singing

"Who lives in a pineapple

Under the sea,

sponge bob square pants….." softly.

Kagome rolled her eyes at the slightly high hanyou and went outside.

Sesshomaru would be waking up in about ten minutes roundabout, and she didn't want him to get any leads on her.

She ran to the girls only dormitories (separate from the guest rooms) and sprayed her 'exclamation' perfume all around the entrance.

The 'axe' perfume got sprayed in the bathroom, while she picked out Sorai's room and sprayed a large amount of 'exclamation' all over the door and the hallway leading to the door, while grinning.

Oh this was going to be fun.

She sprayed some more perfume in random places just to throw him off, but made sure the largest concentration was outside Sorai's room. After doing that, and being immensely pleased with her own tricks, she went back in the common room and bolted the door again. She turned around to see Inuyasha up.

"Oh, are you better now?" she asked.

"No thanks to you." he muttered, still clearly annoyed at losing control over his senses for a while.

"Get over it!" she instructed and plopped down on the sofa with Inuyasha keeping guard by the door.

After about seven minutes of waiting, Kagome heard a certain person roar, "**KAGOME!**"

She giggled. "Watch what happens next, Inuyasha. You have no idea what I did when you were delusional!" she smiled happily at Inuyasha's curios face.

"He's stomping down the stairs…..into the main room……towards the girls dormitories?……….I think he's paused a bit, I can't hear him walking as of now….."

Kagome giggled a bit. "I think that's his conscience telling him its considered rude to go in the girl's dormitories at what…about four in the morning?"

Inuyasha stared at her. "What exactly did you do?" he asked carefully, almost afraid of the result.

Kagome cackled merrily a bit more and said mysteriously, "Inuyasha……you have no idea…."

He shrugged and concentrated on listening to Sesshomaru's footsteps once more.

"He's walking further down the hall, he's paused again…" Inuyasha whispered, straining his ears. "His footsteps are fading a bit…….. I think I hear a door opening?….but how…..?" as Inuyasha mused over the sounds he heard, Kagome whispered, "Brace yourself." and began counting down the seconds on her hand.

"Five….four…three….two…one….."

"**AAAIIEEEK!**" the voice rang out like a bullet through the night silence.

"Wait….a…second…." Inuyasha frowned. "you…..didn't!" he stared at her.

She nodded.

"nice!" _Not really to the victims of Kagome's twisted humor though…._

(a/n:- J wait for it…..)

"What he's doing now?" she commanded.

He put his ear to the door again.

"I hear someone…..running…."

He didn't need to guess any further who it was, because in the next second a voice rang out for the second time tonight,

" **KAGOME!!**"

Inuyasha smirked. "Oh boy oh boy…."

00000000000000000000

Sorai sat on her bed, breathing deeply, sweat running down her face from the sudden shock. Was she dreaming? No, it didn't seem like a dream….. She had awoken to the sound of someone opening the door, and by the time she had opened her eyes, Sesshomaru in all of his glory, was crouching right by her face! (a/n: he was actually in the process of getting up after looking under her bed.)

As soon as she screamed, he paled, got and fled her room faster then a cat confronted with water.

_Oh, great. Now the other ladies from around were probably coming to see what had happened. What should she tell them?_

She bit her lip thoughtfully.

_Then a second later she had heard him screaming for Kagome. Honestly, it didn't seem like anyone was going to get any sleep tonight….first Kagome's commentary, then lord Sesshomaru yelling and running around and now this._

The night kept on getting more and more noisy.

00000000000000000000

Kagome woke up to the sun's odd angle of rays hitting her face. Inuyasha was still awake, and she didn't remember going to sleep herself…..

She got up and checked the time on her wrist watch. About seven in the morning, and Sesshomaru didn't find her. Yet. She had no intention of going anywhere near of today, so they simply snuck over to their respective rooms and fell in bed to catch some shuteye. (She was in Sango's since Inuyasha ripped down her door.)

0000000000000000000000000

At the breakfast table, most people seemed to be sending weird or mean looks at Sesshomaru. Go figure. Most people also seemed to be sleepier then usual, and grumpy, and mumbling something about the 'crazy miko and lord Sesshomaru yelling all night long.' I wonder why that could be?

000000000000000000000000000

Naraku twisted in his bed. His mother wouldn't dream of even letting him sit up for at least another three days, even if his wrist was well.

Which it wasn't really, it wasn't really healing at all.

He looked down at the bandages.

He still seemed to be having a lot of time due in his bed.

0000000000000000000000

DISCLAIMER:- I do not own :-

-Avril Lavinge's song 'The Best Damn Thing'

-the perfumes/ brands of 'Axe' or 'Exclamation!'

-'basket case' by greenday,

-Sponge bob square pants theme song

-or any of the children's songs. (Itsy Bitsy Spider, Jack and Jill, Hark the dogs go bark, Frere Jaques, I'm a little tea cup, Mary had a little lamb, Old Macdonald, Pop goes the weasel or any other I may have missed here.)

Ok, anyways, wasn't that a hilarious chapter?

I LOVED THIS ONE!

Did you? Was it funnier then the chapter where they all got drunk with that tree fruit?

TELL MEEEEEE!!

PLZ?


	37. Chapter 37

**Naraku's Mind Games**

**Lipsing**

Naraku was awoken by a brown dash darting in the door. Hatu bowed to him. "How are you master Naraku?" he said in a prim voice.

Naraku stared at him through sleepy eyes.

"What's with all da formality?" he asked, yawning.

"Well, the mistress said that I'm SUPPOSED to be nice to you while you're sick…." he trailed off grinning.

Naraku looked up at him. "Well, are you going to be, or not?"

"What?"

"Nice to me!"

"Uh…..I'm already nice enough in my opinion……so, no."

"I thought so." Naraku turned away. He was in no mood to deal with Hatu's warped sense of humor.

"I want rice balls, vegetables and juice for breakfast." Naraku said icily with his face still turned away.

"Aww…come on! Naraku, be nice! Or else…." Hatu said with a pout in his face.

"Or else?" Naraku raised his eyebrows.

"Uh….I haven't got that far yet……" Naraku rolled his eyes as Hatu got an idea.

He smirked and said "Or else I'll give your sick care to Katana!"

Naraku looked horrified but caught himself and said with confidence, "Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try."

Hatu flashed him a grin. "Sure!" and called out the door, " KATANA-CHAN! KATANA-CHAN!"

Naraku looked at him. "Are you already on chan terms?" ( chan is a familiar respectful/friendly term….I think.)

"I'd hate not to be…" Hatu shuddered as Katana entered the room.

_She was still as proud, and scary as last time….. _Naraku thought.

Hatu gave him a smile and said, " I believe master Naraku wants you to…."

Naraku shook his head violently and did as many sorry gestures to Hatu, as he knew. When he finally brought his thumb across his throat to signal that 'I'm gonna die', Hatu changed topics suddenly.

"…..bring him breakfast." Naraku sighed in relief and flopped back on the pillows.

At least that's where he had thought his pillows were. He miscalculated and ( A/n: this happens to me a lot, you probably suffered the same thing) a thud sound was heard of that of wood against skull.

Naraku sank down into the covers, his head killing him though he tried not to show it apart from the 'aaaiiieeeee!!' he had let out a second ago.

_Owie owie owie owie goddamn it! _This circle of thoughts was running through Naraku's mind as he tried to cover the pain by holding a pillow against it. _Not fair not fair not fair……owie… _he thought as he once again struck a soft point on the fast growing lump on his head.

He looked up towards the ceiling and shook his uninjured fist at it. _Why? WHY? _

Katana and Hatu stood around him now. "Are you alright, Master Naraku?" Hatu always put on shows of formality for him in front of everyone except Kohaku.

"Yeah….other then my wrist, I have no desire to die just as of yet." Naraku replied sarcastically.

"Uh..no…you were kinda you know….threatening the air…." Hatu trailed off.

"It's called the ceiling." Katana leaned over and whispered in Hatu's ear, " I think that Master has lost it…..we should probably call the physician."

Naraku overheard. "I AM NOT SICK! Well, I am, but that's not the point here. Or is it? Is it? No, I don't think so…..but my thoughts have been wrong too…..or right….I think am I right….but does that make me right?" Naraku pondered.

Hatu muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'such big thoughts for someone so mentally off…..'

Naraku looked at him suspiciously.

He cleared his throat. "Uh…yeah….so…" he mumbled and ran out of the room, not from Naraku's so called 'intimidating' stare, but from Katana's death glance.

Katana bowed formally. " Have a good life."

Naraku shuddered. _Why the hell does she say that?! _He shook his head. _Nothing makes sense anymore. Nothing. _

"I HATE THIS!" Naraku screamed in the heat of a moment of particular frusteration.

Katana looked at Hatu with raised eyebrows. " So…..he doesent need help?" she questioned with her hands on her hips, a second after Naraku's random outburst.

00000000000000000000000000000

"Hey Inuyasha!" Kagome called running down the hall.

_Oh no shit shit shit shit shit… _Inuyasha cursed repeatedly when he saw who was following him and walked faster.

He jogged into a deserted hallway, much to his mistake.

Kagome, seeing that no one was around, put an end to her chase. "Sit!"

Inuyasha grumbled into the ground. 'stupid wench cant even do anything without these goddamn necklaces of hers!' but since his face was currently implanted into the ground, it came across more like "Sphtuhpid wenphchh cahnt evepghn dopgh anpghythihgng wipoghthout thuhese godohgdamn necopgklacges!"

Kagome sat beside him. "You know you shouldn't try speaking into the ground…."

Then he said something that came across as 'damn stupid know-it-all miko…'

Kagome sighed. "Look, instead of cursing me and my wrath, how about telling me why you were running away from me?"

He lifted his head. "How about telling me why you chasing me?" he argued.

"Very funny. Now quit getting all defensive, and tell me why you were running away from me." Kagome ordered.

Inuyasha displayed a split second look of fear, but he soon covered it up and said, "No. first you tell me why you chased and sat me? Is that how you get your cheap thrills?" he wriggled his eyebrows.

Kagome had to control herself from straight outright asking him what he was referring again and again in his thoughts.

_Thank goodness! I thought she had found out. Please god, give me enough time to hide before she comes to murder me for I did. Sango is going to get revenge on her instead of her……_

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "What did you do?"

He paled. "I didn't……do anything!"

"Yeah right. What did you do to Sango?" she asked, her hands on her hips. Almost at once, she realized that she slipped and desperately began brainstorming ideas to cover up her ability.

"Wait a second….what did I do?" Inuyasha quizzed her.

"I dunno….something about Sango." she replied.

"What?"

"How would I know?" she demanded.

Inuyasha sighed. _Good. She doesn't know. _Then a thought struck him. "How do you know I did something to Sango?" he asked.

Kagome's brain whirred. "Uh…..you said it."

"No I didn't!" Inuyasha was adamant.

"You lipsed it!"

"Did not!"

"Yeah you did!"

"Prove it!" Kagome reached for his thoughts.

She grinned and responded " Your lipsing, 'oh Kagome's just joking. I don't lip all my thoughts!"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped open.

"Now you're lipsing, 'this is so not fair! This has to be trick…..Kagome can' do that! This is so no fair!'"

Kagome continued. "'This can't be happening! I can't have a almost psychic…..mate?" Kagome chocked out the last part.

It was true that Kagome was reading Inuyasha's thoughts, but she was just saying the thoughts that came from his direction, not really paying attention to what she was reciting……except for the last part.

Inuyasha looked aghast. Kagome spluttered a bit, but then caught herself. She smiled. _Oh….. _She thought. She hadn't given much thought to when she found out Inuyasha had tried to kiss her before…..

She smiled again, while Inuyasha paled. _I wonder how many sits I just earned….._

"I wonder how many sits I just earned." she said to Inuyasha, still frozen in shock.

"Well, Inuyasha, I'll tell you." she put her hands on her hips. "Just one."

She pushed him back with a finger and quickly sat him so that he lay back down in the ground.

"Now you're lisping, 'I wonder what she's going to do to me….. She really did learn how to read my lips…..' no need to keep you in suspense for too long though…." Kagome smiled a bit and leaning over, let her lips brush his.

Inuyasha froze. This was like something come out of his most heavenly dream…except her could really feel her hair tickling his neck and smell her aroma from so close.

She drew up and stared at him, slightly red around the cheekbones.

"Ahh….um…" she grasped for a word to say. _What had come over her like that? All at once…. She __liked it….but still! Something had come over her….maybe it was those golden eyes….. _She shook her head to clear such thoughts while Inuyasha got up, still star-struck.

_Yes! _Inuyasha cheered in his mind. _I kissed her! Or she kissed me, but that doesn't matter…._

He took a step closer to her, Kagome still shaking her head. He raised her head, her eyes staring into his, blushing slightly, and lowered his face closer to hers.

His left hand was tracing her shoulder and his right one was busy ruffling through her hair.

Footsteps. A nonchalant voice rang out. "I have bedrooms for that purpose, you know."

Inuyasha and Kagome straightened, the hatred practically filtering out of their bodies and blushing faces.

Sesshomaru was as giddy as Shippo with chocolate, though the only way to tell was from his amused smirk.

Kagome felt Inuyasha lung for Sesshomaru, but she grabbed his hand and restrained him.

_What the hell is your problem, ya bastard?_

_I was merely suggesting you two get a room, and not pollute my castle's area with something I would not be pleased to have children come across._

_SHUT UP! You're just enjoying yourself!_

_Well, come to think of it, I am. You two are quite entertaining to barge in on._

_You stupid pervert._

_Don't associate me with that monk._

_Oh yeah? Well even Miroku knows not to got sneaking into the girl's dormitories at three in the morning!_

_What? How dare you accuse me of 'sneaking'!_

_I am not accusing you, I am telling the truth. It also happened to be three in the morning and the girls dormitories!_

_I still had to get you for that….but I think my revenge is complete now._

_You stupid bastard!_

In a huff, she turned away, spat "Fluffy!", and stormed out of the corridor with Inuyasha still dumbstruck and Sesshomaru on the ground.

0000000000000000000000000000000

After about four hours, Inuyasha met her again for dinner. She looked at him, reddened slightly, but then beamed when he smiled.

Miroku looked from her to Inuyasha, back to her and smiled a perverted smile.

Inuyasha growled at him as Sango came up and football tackled Kagome to the ground. Inuyasha paled and fled the room.

"What are you……doing?" she gasped with Sango on top of her.

"Now I ask, why did you do it?" she questioned.

"Do what?" Kagome choked out.

"Told Miroku that I'd want flowers and a hug standing outside my bathroom door when I was done taking a bath?"

" Say what?" Kagome's eyes widened. She could just see Miroku standing with flowers outside the bathroom, and just as Sango came out, leap to give her a hug and flowers( Miroku style) . _Hehe……._now she noticed a few bruises on Miroku's cheek and shoulder.

Miroku looked away.

"I didn't do anything!" she said, then realized, _THIS is what Inuyasha must have done to Sango….then he blamed it on me! Ah!_

"Inuyasha did it!" she said, pushing Sango off her.

"He said you told that stupid perverted monk to hug my in my towel!"

"He was lying!"

Sango gritted her teeth and was off in search of a certain hanyou before Kagome could say 'aggravated'.

Kagome got up, rubbing her back. "That was a bit vicious…" she sat down on her chair again, waiting for food to be served.

000000000000000000000

"Hey! You! Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru was rudely jerked from his thoughts to see Kagome pulling Inuyasha along a corridor.

"Inuyasha won't admit it, but he does lips the thoughts in his mind, doesn't he?"

_Say yes, Sesshomaru, I want to play a prank on him! And if you don't, I'll fluff you until your bed breaks, AGAIN!_

Sesshomaru smirked. _No need for drastic measures. If it is a prank on Inuyasha, I have agreed._

"He has a mind?" he questioned.

Kagome and Inuyasha rolled their eyes.

"Ok, anyway, yes. You do lips everything Inuyasha."

"Do not!" he argued.

"You're thinking that 'Sesshomaru is such a brat, I wonder where the hell he came

into my life from, I hate him', correct?" Kagome rattled off.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped once again.

Sesshomaru commented, "Now you are lipsing, 'I am hungry, and I want …..ramen?'"

Inuyasha closed his mouth and pouted. Kagome smirked at him and said, "Now your lisping 'Sesshomaru's fluff is really awesome, I want one too. But I get stuck with dog ears. DOG EARS!'" she giggled and rubbed them a bit. " Oh come on! Having those cute ears cant be THAT bad!"

_Holy crap…..do I lip things all the time?_

_He does what? Why does he want my tail? And why is the miko giggling her wits out?_

Kagome continued, " Now your lipsing, 'Sango is so pretty. Miroku should be thankful to have her! And she is stronger then me, and her boomerang is so awesome!'" she completed in a high voice.

Inuyasha's confused voice came in. _Wait a second…..am I thinking that? _He knew by recent experience that Kagome could 'lip read' well……he began searching through his mind for any trace of such a thought. (which there wasn't any, Kagome was just messing with him.)

Sesshomaru shot her an annoyed glare and walked off. _I have no time for your childish games today._

Kagome, how ever, continued reading Inuyasha's fake thoughts. "Now your lipsing, ' Souta is my best friend in the whole wide world!'" "Say…what?" Inuyasha spluttered. _If someone had to be his friend, it would rather be Buyo then that annoying kid!_

"'Buyo is so cute! He has ears just like mine…..although I think he's probably heavier then me….'" once again, Kagome giggled as Inuyasha tried to find his 'thoughts'.

Kagome showed no sign of stopping yet. "' Kouga has so much of a cooler name then me…."' Inuyasha looked horrified that he would/could ever think that Kouga was better then him in any aspect, except being stupid.

He shook his head firmly, tightly sealed his lips shut, and covered his hand with hand while he used the other to drag a hysterical Kagome back to the guest's common room.

0000000000000000000000000000000000

THERE ALL YOU PERVERTED PEOPLE! YOU HAVE YOUR FLUFF!

And it almost killed me to write it too…..(sob)

But thanks to Airpeeps (VERY VERY MUCH!) for helping me out, and I apologize for not making this chapter longer but all my energy has been extracted in writing the fluffy part. Tell me how I did, ok?

Oh, and this story has OVER FIVE THOUSAND VIEWS! WOW! THANK YOU EVERYONE!

But If I got five thousand reviews, then I would be SOOO much happier….

Ok, anyways, there are a couple of stories I have started besides this one, please check them out (PLEASE!) , do not worry, they all are humorous like this is.. (more or less)

I need as many people as possible to tell me to get myself satisfied that I did good……

Airpeeps:- yeah, thanks, glad you liked the last chapters…

Georgiegirl9999:- your welcome! I'm sorry this chapter isn't that funny, but some people were feeling the need for fluff…review plz!

Help-me-fly-or-watch-me-fall:- yeah, glad you liked it really! Review on this chappie please!

4-ever-disturbed:- yeah, thank you so much! Really glad you liked it! Review again please!

Kagome-loves-kouga:- yeah, thanks for the chips, and I'm really glad you liked the last chapter! I still don't know why but I didn't think of the drunk chapter that well, I didn't really like it…oh well. Review on this chapter too! Oh…and which idea? You have given me quite a lot of them… and thanks for the sesshy idea, although I have a feeling that would overdo the perfume thingy….. I'll try!


	38. Chapter 38

Naraku's mind games

Naraku's getting desperate for a date….

"Oh Gawd."

"Oh Gawd I damn hate this."

"This stupid things gonna drive me crazy…if it hasn't already…"

"Oh dear….."

Naraku shifted again for the millionth time that night. Those stupid annoyingly loud rats scratching against the walls of the hut/house were going to feel the wrath of miasma…….when he felt active enough to get up.

Scratch…scratch….oh crap.

"Shut up!" Naraku whispered fiercely.

"Oh great. Now I'm talking to mice. Or to myself." he put his head in his hands. "Maybe I do need some kind of medical attention…….this damn wound still isn't healing!"

A mouse snuck through a small hole.

"Stay away!" Naraku threatened to the mouse, holding up his shoe.

The mouse squeaked and stepped a few steps closer. Naraku shook the shoe threateningly.

The mouse put his hands on his hips as if to say 'I'd like to see you try!'

Naraku held his head in his face again. " GAWD! I talking to mice!" he threw the shoe at the mouse, but it didn't flinch as the shoe missed it by a universe.

"Why am I talking to mice? Why am I? oh great I'm talking to myself. I'd rather talk to a mouse then to myself…….it seems less demented anyways…." Naraku continued.

The mouse looked at him weirdly. 'What the hell happened to your mentality?'

Naraku stared back and held out his hand to the mouse. Well if you cant beat 'em join 'em……."Come on little buddy! I'm not going to hurt you. Lets talk." the mouse flashed him a huge toothed smile and climbed on Naraku's hand.

"You know what? You're going to be my pet. My favorite pet and companion for ever and ever." and with that, Naraku planted a gentle kiss on the mouse's tiny nudging head and nuzzling moist nose.

Naraku woke up with sweat trickling down his body, face, legs, everywhere. He jumped up in the bed, and looked at his hand. No mouse. He yelled with his morning-hoarse voice, " **HELP! MEDIC! SOMEONE! MOMMY! I'M HAVING BAD DREAMS ABOUT KISSING MICE! **"

Apparently Naraku wasn't healing as well as he had originally thought.

(a/n: hehe he……he…..KISSED A MOUSE! OH THE HUMANITY! OR THE MOUSEANITY……whatever……and (thud) damn. I fell over laughing…..again. Nice way to use a writers block….right?)

0000000000000000000000000000000000000

"That's it. I'm going home!" Kagome announced and slammed her books on the table and stuffed them in her bag. The members of the group looked up.

"Bye guys! And Inuyasha, I don't want you within a mile of my room to call me back for at least a week, or I'll come when there's a swap!" "How are you going to? Royal frostbites the one that gonna be in your era!" Sango pointed. The nickname had caught on.

"Er…….didn't think that far yet…" Kagome trailed off.

" I guess I'll have to leave him some kind of clue…..otherwise…I'll come as soon I start to feel dizzy. Try to jump anyways." Kagome finished and waving goodbye, ran out with her backpack and Kilala on her shoulder.

She ran by the great hall and burst, without knocking, into Sesshomaru's so-called 'secret' study. He looked up.

There were a few other lords in the room with whom he was currently having a meeting with. Ignoring the surprised glances, she sprinted over to Sesshomaru and whispered in his ear, "If you need it, it's in the well." Sesshomaru's eyes sparkled in curiosity. What exactly was the miko referring to?

But before he could ask her dignifiedly, (not yelling in the hall), she was out the door shouting, "See ya everybody! don't worry, I will annoy you some more before we have to leave on another trip!" she sang/shouted in the great hall, gave a fleeting hug to Rin and Shippo and was out the gates and on Kilala as Sesshomaru watched form his window.

I wonder where she goes and comes back with all those convenient things of hers….

Kagome sat on Kilala's warm fur, her hair flying back. Between her thoughts of clouds and birds came a vague thoughts of why exactly had she bothered whispering the clue to Sesshomaru when she could have just sent it on a note or mentally messaged it to him. But then again, she always she did want to prove to him that she knew where his secret study was….and that she had enough guts to burst through the door without knocking…….hehe….

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Sorai was in her favorite thinking room, the 'yellow room'. but she didn't seem to be having any thoughts worth thinking intellectually. All she could think were going along the lines of 'Sesshomaru-Sesshomaru-Sesshomaru-food-Sesshomaru-Fluffy-food-Sesshomaru-" Not that this was much of a difference from her pervious routine but still. She had never thought about food since she was a toddler and had to cry so that she would be fed.

She gave a grunt as she tossed her head and stalked off in search of something to eat.

00000000000000000000000000000000000

**500 YEARS LATER**

"YAY! IM HOME!" Kagome yelled as she flung open the doors of the family shrine. Her mom greeted her from behind the door. " Oh hello there Kagome! Welcome back!"

After a quick hug and a promise of dinner, she went upstairs and flung herself on the bed. Somehow coming home doesn't feel as luxurious as it usually does….. Probably because there were baths and beds and Sesshomaru's castle…..

She got up and stretched her arms. While she was still stretching, and a blue blur attached itself to her torso. "Welcome home sis!"

She fell over from loss of balance.

"Hi Souta! I would appreciate it now if you get off me…."

He stood up and grinned sheepishly.

" Sorry. But you haven't been home in a long time ya now….."

Kagome sighed and bowed her head. " That means I have a lot of school to cover up…. Oh the humanity!"

Souta laughed. " so…where's Inuyasha?"

Kagome answered him with a determined tone in her voice. " You know I have better things to do, like catching up with school, to do the babysitting Inuyasha right now!"

" Uh….sis. Yeah… so you do know that you're friends have been trying to get to you all week, right?"

" They always do that! What's so special now?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah….. I'm not the one who should tell you…" _I wouldn't be caught dead telling sis the news!_

_What news? _Kagome narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Souta backed out the door. _Not good not good not good….._

She ran into the bathroom to take a bath with good hot water, still pondering over what havoc her friends had managed to wreck this time. Perhaps they would only tell in school…….Eri did have some kind of weird thing saying that her brother taped her phone……. Damn curiosity.

Eri, Ayumi and Yuki were baffled when Kagome showed up at school tomorrow. "Wow, Kagome! Your arthritis had awesome timing!" Eri exclaimed.

Kagome looked up. "Uh…yeah…. So what's up?"

The three huddled and cheered together, "SPRING FESTIVAL!"

Kagome groaned.

"Ok, spill it. What did you sign me up for THIS time?" she shook her head. Her friends didn't notice but the last festival she had attended had been a total disaster!

Her friends had signed her up for the dance, worse, with Hojo, and she didn't even know it! Goddamn it, a person should know when they have agreed to play 'Juliet' to a persistent 'Romeo'.

"Uh…don't worry. We didn't sign you up for the dance this time." Yuki assured.

"Somehow knowing you all that didn't really reduce the stress." Kagome muttered.

"oh cheer UP!" Ayumi yelled, her voice rising to a scream and ringing through the hallway they were standing in after class. Heads turned.

Kagome pouted. "Look. I want to catch up on my studies right now, not go around doing extracurricular things!"

Yuki narrowed her eyes at her. "You say it like you know when you're going to be sick….."

Kagome laughed nervously and lowered her head. Well, _I do know that I'm going to be five hundred years ago in a week…….god, when did my life become so complicated?_

"It alright, we'll help you do this!" Ayumi cheered. Kagome narrowed her eyes at her. She gulped. Kagome asked, "Sugar high?" she lowered her head as the other two nodded.

Eri said, "Kagome, your refusing and you don't even know what we signed you up for!"

She paused for effect but Kagome just gave her that 'you're-all-sugar-high-and-you-expect-me-to-listen-to-you?' look.

"Ok, then fine. Tell me, and hear me say no outright to that too!" Kagome crossed her arms. Her friends could be really annoying at times.

"Remember you use to be the singer of our classes' band when we were in middle school?"

Kagome frowned. " hmm…..what? The one we named, 'Damn you all to hell'?"

Eri laughed. "Yeah….the teacher changed the name remember? The official name was 'Freezing hell over'. And we used to do the who middle school cussing and pretend to be stylish rockstars…and the Halloween black theme?"

Kagome laughed. "Ahhh. Now I remember. So, what did you do?"

"Well, we're having a reunion and we signed you up for lead singer again! No one objected seeing how well you did last time…."

Kagome's jaw dropped. "I don't have time to be in a BAND!"

"Sure you do! Just like hojo is the back up male singer, some other guys are on guitars and flutes and stuff and the rest of them are audience!"

Kagome flashed a nervous smile. She had a right to be nervous. She had stage fright then too, and she did now! The only way she was able to go on stage was with someone from her friends with her, and it helped to be sugary (sugar high).

"One of you guys is with me……right?" she asked, her voice faltering, afraid of the answer.

"Yeah…. We'll be in the audience and Hojo'll be on stage with you." Eri explained.

Kagome turned around towards the wall she was currently leaning against, and began to hit her head with it slowly. "Ow…..Ow…..Ow…..Ow…"

The three of them shrugged as Hojo turned up behind them. "Ah….good to see she's back in health!" he exclaimed to Yuki. He looked over her shoulder.

"Uh…..is this a bad time?" he said, surveying a certain raven haired person currently trying to smash the wall with her head.

"Oh no she's fine!" Eri batted her eyelashes nervously, trying to cover up Kagome as much as she could.

Hojo raised his eyebrows.

"No, really. She is." Eri's voice turned stern as Hojo gulped.

_I believe that when hell freezes over….._

000000000000000000000000000000000000

Kagome walked alongside her friends, pouting. This was soooo unfair. She was the lead singer of their classes' band, and she didn't even know until an hour ago.

Her friends kept on trying to tell her how great it would be, and how they were going to manage it all, and worse yet, how they were going to do awesome in the spring festival. Yes, that's right, the spring festival, the one that was coming up in LESS THEN THREE DAYS! She hadn't even done anything, they still had to manage themselves, practice, set their costumes and do another a million and one things in three days before their performance, and she was positive that she was going to have a heart attack, die, the band would break up in her memory, Sesshomaru would die when they tried to switch, and the jewel would probably stay incomplete 'cause no one else could sense the jewel like she could.

Now normally all the reasons would have been an incentive for Kagome to quit the band, screw trying to overload her self with stuff to do, and live a peaceful Sesshomaru free week in the future, but her friends were awfully ambitious (for her) and stubborn too.

There was no chance she would be able to get out of them alive! Either die of over work and have them guilty or have them kill her from trying to quit, and they wouldn't even care. It was a die-die situation, and Kagome chose the first one.

"SAY WHAT?" Kagome screeched at the first band practice at the band leader, her classmate.

He calmly repeated the answer. "The entire school will be watching at the first performance, at the spring festival."

She panicked.

"Ahh! I'm outta here! You all are off your rockers if you think I'm going to perform on stage with an audience that big!" she yelled as she made a leap for her bike and was just about to mount and get the hell away from the slightly retarded people surrounding her when her friends stood in her way.

"oh no you don't!" Yuki yelled and hauled Kagome off the bike.

Eri nodded. "You've been too sick for your own good, Kagome! You need to get into something!"

Kagome groaned. " You guys are sickingly supportive, you know that?"

She got Ayumi's sweetest smile. "Of course we know that Kagome!"

Ayumi reminded her of the devil with a smile sometimes. Damn.

She set her on the practice stage again. Kagome turned to the other members of the group. "We only have three days, and I am totally unprepared. How about getting some other lead singer?" she said hopefully.

Yuki intervened. "OF COURSE NOT! GO KAGOME! YEAH! YOU CAN DO IT!"

The band turned to stare at her. She whimpered and hid behind Eri, who quickly explained, " Uh….she IS right, even if she a bit sugar high…."

Jun rolled his eyes. Unlike his name, which meant 'obedient', he was nothing close to obedient. That how he got to be the leader of the band, he was very frankly, cool. He may not have a thing for girls, but his marks were good, he was an awesome guitarist, and his attitude put everyone in a good mood. Who cared if he got into fights and dressed like a gangster?

Kagome blushed as she realized that she was just wasting everyone's time and immediately turned business like. "Ok, I'll do it. But only one performance for now, and I'll decide if I can stay later."

Jun beamed through his teacher hated spikes. No matter how many times he had been warned, he simply would not cut his hair. He stroked his black gothic type chocker which matched perfectly with his clothes and said, "Great! Now we get rolling. We have to do ten songs on stage, and yes," he addressed her open jaw, "Kagome you do all have to sing all ten. Stop whining everybody!"

Everybody took their positions and started playing. Katsumi, a rather petite quiet girl as back up singer, Takeo and Takishi, the high spirted fighter twins on the drums (you can tell by the names, they both mean 'warrior'. hurray for research!),

And Gina on special instruments/effects.

Right now Gina was doing a slight solo flute part and they practiced about five songs to the perfection point before going out for coffee.

"Oh god…my head hurts!" Takeo complained. Takishi slapped his twin on the shoulder. " Why the hell are you always complaining?"

Hojo laughed. "Come on! Take it easy on the poor guy. I would be almost dead if I had you as a twin!"

"Why you little-"

Hojo laughed again. "I kid. I kid. Calm down man…."

Jun was lost deep in thought.

"What's wrong?" yuki asked.

" I am wondering…" he cast a look over the band members. "how we're going to be able to perform with the current state of members……goddamn it, the festival is in three days!"

Eri spoke in a reassuring voice. "its alright. Come one, we've already practiced five songs, half the work done! Cheer up! Look at them, they sure seem high spirited."

Jun looked over his shoulder to see Hojo asking Kagome out again, Takashi trying to pour coffee over Takeo's head, with Gina singing a bawdy song, acting drunk with Ayumi, and katsumi poking the hell out of whoever talked to her.

"Yeah.. They're acting plenty mature…" he muttered sarcastically.

"Get over it!" Gina threw a paper ball across the coffee shop, which was supposed to hit Jun to get him distracted, but got blown of course and hit Takeo in the face. He laughed and got up, faking anger, "Why you little- I'll kill you!" and proceeded to chase Gina all over the shop.

Gina screamed and ran in circles, randomly hiding behind things and people and laughing the entire while.

Kagome lowered her head. She had a headache , and had homework to do. Could life get any worse?

00000000000000000000000000000000000

The atmosphere sparked as the group climbed onto the stage. They all were dresses in 'traditional' freezing hell over costumes, anything with black and spikes.

Jun was dresses in normal manner, with the exception of a silver headband framing his spikes. Kagome had on a red and black short tight spaghetti strap dress, her head let down. Katsumi had her hair in a loose bun, bangs framing her face over a black detective coat like thing with pantyhose underneath and silver heels. Gina had tight blue jeans accompanied with a stretch black shirt. The look was completed by a dozen black bangles on each hand and her hair put in a half-tie.

Hojo had on a black vampire type cape with dress pants and a white shirt underneath, his hair swept back with gel.

And finally, the twins, Takeo and Takashi, were dressed identically in black silk haori's with their messy hairstyles as screwed up as ever.

Everyone had the custom black chocker on, and could feel the audience taking in their appearance as they got to their positions and counted under their breath, one two three…here we go!

Kagome scanned across the huge audience. Her stage freight was just starting to kick in when she noticed her friends cheering for her, almost right underneath her. Yuki signaled, 'Look at me!' Kagome nodded curtly and started on her cue.

The band, to their surprise, did not suck at all. By the time they had done ten songs and came off, the crowd was going wild! Kagome exhaled deeply and came running off stage. She had too reasons for doing so, one; she had stage fright, and two; she was as scared as hell that the swap would happen while she was onstage. Poor Sesshomaru would be totally lost, he wouldn't even know where he was, and probably screw things up for her….. But the thought was gone now. It didn't happen then, maybe the minion had to find them both……

Speak of the devil, as she was pondering over this very fact in the coffee shop where they all went later to cool off, when she felt a slight inkling of a gut feeling. Taking no chances, she stood up and ran home as fast as she could. Her friends alarmed shouts followed her as far as they could go, then on her mobile. " What happened Kagome? Why did you run away?" this was Jun talking.

Kagome crossed her fingers and lied, "I …uh…. wasn't feeling too good, tell everyone that. I have to go now. Bye, see ya!" she shut the phone off before her hard willed bandleader and class mate had a chance to object.

00000000000000000

I am very very sorry for the lack of humor in this chapter, but wait for it, please…..

Review and give me some ideas. I'm kinda running out here, and unless you want this story to stop someone better help me out! (puppy eyes) PLEASE!


	39. Chapter 39

**Naraku's mind games**

**Of politics haters and room destruction**

"Oh no..oh no...Oh no..." Kagome chanted as she lay in bed, experiencing the falling sensation that marked a usually very grumpy mood a very unfortunate event. She had been in her room, about to take a shower. She had barely been able to get her clothes on, (the same ones that she had just been wearing, she didn't have time to change to a new set) and she had fallen on the bed. Small miracles never ceased to amaze her. Just about what would have happened if they had gotten swapped when she was in the shower, she didn't want to think about.

She screwed her eyes shut as her stomach lurched and she fell into a pitch darkness.

(a/n: yes, all you perverts, I do know what's going on inside your warped heads. 'oh. Thats not fair, she just ruined all of our fun, it would have been much more enjoyable if Kagome got swapped while taking a shower...'

well, don't worry, I'm pretty warped myself, so I'll torture the characters later... wait for it.)

00000000000000000000000000000

Sesshomaru brushed his hair out of the way and impatiently snorted. These nobles were really testing his patience, he was barely keeping his temper and whip under control. He could lash out his whip, and in the next ten seconds, the room would be splattered with noble remains. A very pleasing thought.

He sighed slowly, exhaling his breath and counted to ten. His father had always told him to do that if he felt himself beginning to lose his sanity by politics, or go into his frequent dark and dangerous anger swings.

Must no kill...must kill not...no kill... he was in such a hard position to keep a grip on himself that he didn't even mind that he was mixing up words right, left and center.

His stomach lurched as he felt the sickening falling sensation uprise from the pits if the bottom of his stomach. His knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists out of hatred of the goddamn minion who was doing this.

He looked at the papers in front of him for notes, and a idea came to him. He gripped the pen and began writing furiously behind his desk. He had almost done writing, though when he was going to go to the next page, his world was plunged into darkness.

00000000000000000000000000000

He opened his eyes to see a strange room. "What the hell...?" his mind was running in circles, along with his senses, which were having a field day. There were queer scents, rather everything like the smell of Kagome's 'backpack' as she called it... and he hadn't felt this EXTREMLY curious in years. Mildly, yes, but now, he was going to kill himself if he didn't find something out soon.

He walked over to the window and looked down. Incredible. Were those houses? But they were...HUGE! Not the houses he could demolish with a fist. They reached up onto the sky, and they sky itself looked grayer and had a strange smell. There were random grunts and screeches of what seemed to be...running demons?.. on the black strip of the earth. They too smelled strange, but he couldn't exactly detect any aura around them...

This world...Kagome's village, was INCREADIBLE! Sikb's eyes widened as he realized why Kagome seemed so mysterious about where she lived. If this village was so bountiful, no wonder she was hiding the identity for it's safety. First thing he would do when he got back to his self was find the location of the village and establish a peace treaty to learn from these people. Or war...

In these high thoughts of politics, he was standing there by the window, astonished by everything he saw here.

00000000000000000000000000000

"Goddamn it..." Kagome cursed as she opened her eyes and saw that she was, once again, effectively, in HIS body. Not fair! Not even her vacation at home was spared. She rolled her eyes. Sesshomaru was probably having a hell of a time in HER time. She had given a hint about the well...and forgot to write the letter she had planned to have in front in case this happened. Damn. Oh well, at least Souta knew... he would tell...or so she hoped.

She turned her attention to the present, scratch that, HER present. He was, damn, she was now in some kind of meeting type thing. She peered curiously at her closest demon, who seemed to have a type of wings... but otherwise seemed European. He had blond hair, was a typical prince charming type, with a square jaw, and blue twinkling eyes. He peeked over nervously at Kisb who was now staring abashedly. She had a type of dreamy look in her eye, and her thoughts were going along the lines of, _damn that guys handsome... why don't they have more of those type of people in the future? He seemed European too, oh awesome!_

(think... the hero from poccahontas if my description isn't accurate enough)

It was no surprise then, that the demon's thoughts were running around in circles. _Oh god... why the hell is Lord Sesshomaru staring at me like that? AHH... he might want to kill me!..no, wait...that's a... oh holy shit!_

_I thought he liked Sorai...or Sorai liked him... I don't like the look in his eye..._

he cringed.

Kisb almost chocked when she heard the next thought. She wasn't even paying attention to the earlier ones.

_Lord Sesshomaru is straight...right? Someone? OH GODDAMN IT!_

_STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!_

Kisb bit her lip and tongue and turned away. But from inside she was hysterical.

She didn't really love herself all to much for losing control like that, but he WAS quite dreamy...

The demon was getting a whole different idea, oh god, poor Sesshomaru...

or not. He was probably having a ball terrorizing Tokyo if Souta hadn't got to him yet. Oh well. He was in good hands.

Or so she hoped.

Damn it with this anxiety! She forgotten to write the note, so what! There was still the hint that she gave AND Souta! She just hoped he would be smart enough to use his head and get back here... or she would send Inuyasha through as soon as possible.

As soon as the demon next to her stopped sending her nervous glances and shuddering and shivering. Poor thing.

Demons really shouldn't shudder...she had half a mind to send him a note saying that, but then her conscious, which felt pity towards Sesshomaru's pride for some unusual reason, stopped her.

She looked around again, paying more attention to her surroundings. She was in a large room, in a part of the castle she didn't recognize. This meant it had to be the political halls or auditorium... full of all kinds of demons she hadn't ever seen before, not even at dinner. There were bear demons, wolves, eagles, deer, sheep, cats, leopards, lizards, beavers, swans, and many others she couldn't figure out.

A particularity stern looking lizard caught her gaze. She quickly hid behind her disk, completely forgetting that she was ruler of all them here. Only when his thoughts came in, did she realize and straighten up.

Why is Lord Sesshomaru... what? Cowering? Him?

She flicked her eyes down to her desk to appear as if doing something important. Writing caught her eye. _God Sesshomaru had awesome calligraphy... it was so...beautiful yet powerful._ It was made up with powerful strokes in perfect coordination, and it seemed to satisfy the scroll which it decorated.

She was so awed by the writing she didn't even notice what was actually written.

_Well, I think I would probably have beautiful calligraphy if I had centuries to practice and the worlds best teachers too...wait... why is my name written?_

She read on. It went something like:-

Kagome, miko. Yes I am talking to you. Or writing anyways. Now instead of being stupid and moronic like you usually are, do NOT screw up this meeting. All these nobles are under me, you do not have address them by name. Today they will just say things concerning why they want my castle demolished or ect. You MUST listen. Do not fall asleep, do not laugh, run around in circles, call anyone a bastard, at least not here in this room, do not kill anyone, even though I wanted to, do not go around too much with your friends, do not go running around in deserted corridors with Inuyasha... you get my meaning.

Kagome's blood boiled. _How could that stupid little brat think that she would... ARGH! Just you wait Sesshomaru... or don't. I already got back at you, even if I __ditn do it on purpose with that poor poor demon who now thinks you're...like uh...Jakotsu...heh..._

The letter continued.

Write down every point you deem important, Ok, YOU write it all. I'll sort it when I'm back. If the swap isn't over by tomorrow or your village is too far to come back in one day, remember, sort out a contradictory argument for almost every argument in my favor, that means, DO NOT DEMOLISH MY CASTLE. Ask Sorai for help, but practice speaking so you can act sufficiently like me tomorrow. If you screw up... well you won't in favor of your own life.

Start writing, and talk the least you can in this room today. Now, miko! And if you-

It ended there.

Kisb groaned. That Naraku son of a... had even gotten her into politics. Feudal politics, no less. Full of demons and whatnot. Damn that cursed bastard and his stupid minion...who had to managed to get to him even if she was in the future. Damn it, the minion probably just had to chant something and they got changed if they halfway around the world. Dammit it all!

She, for the first time while in this room, noticed a snake demon up front. She was droning on about some unimaginable horror about politics to which Kisb couldn't pay attention to save her life. Instead, she simply wrote down everything that she heard and/or thought or whatever she thought she heard without paying a slightest whit of attention.

As a result there were mentions of chocolate, some of the scared thoughts of her demon neighbor, something about the castle, her wanting to see Shippo again, a little bit about politics, mentions of how much she hated Naraku and Jaken, and finally, her wondering what there would be for dinner tonight. Skimming it over when the meeting was almost finished, she thought, _uh-oh...was I writing ALL that? Poor Sesshomaru will flip... if he reads this. Oh well. I dont wanna write this all over again. Screw politics!_

Getting up, she grabbed her papers and trying to act normal, (she forgot she was Sesshomaru for a moment), she let a large smile flit across her face, scratch that, SESSHOMARU'S face, and she walked out on that goddamn room.

She left the room with the European swan demon STILL shivering, and everyone scared as hell of Kisb's smile.

(a/n: a thought just struck me...Kagome always takes like girl steps right? The ones with dear little steps and waggling hips... OH GOD...imagine THAT on Sesshomaru as she walked out of the political hall...ROTFLMAO rolling on the flor laughing my off)

"HEY!" Kisb slid by the door to the guests common room. Inuyasha looked up. "Whaddya want?" he asked, a bit annoyed at being disturbed. At a quick brainwave, it was easy to realize why.

"Hey, Inuyasha, why are you hiding the chocolate behind your back that I know your eating?" she asked.

He gaped at her then laughed. "So...even Naraku doesn't want you going off that school of your for too long!"

She pouted. "And I hate it."

Inuyasha took a look at her and laughed again. "Don't do that. That...very...disturbing...Sesshomaru pouting and smiling and laughing. God even I've come to get used to Sesshomaru as a emotionless bastard."

Kisb laughed and then covered her mouth and cursed. "Damn I wasn't supposed to laugh!"

"Oh screw off! Big bro's not here, and your in his body in his castle! Let's gets some demolishing done!" he cheered.

Kisb sighed. "Look, I would love to, but I can't. Sesshomaru doesn't need another grievance..." _especially he finds out about the swan demon..._

Inuyasha responded with his traditional childish pouting and 'hmpgh'ing.

Kisb kneeled by him and patted his back. "Oh cheer up! Where is everyone else by the way?"

He peeked over his shoulder. " DONT DO THAT!" he yelled.

"WHAT?" she yelled back, momentarily forgetting that Sesshomaru didn't always yell like that all the time... _except for when you spray 'axe' in his face...oh that brought back memories..._

"SNEAKING UP ON ME LIKE THAT! GODDAMN IT SESSHOMARU'S LOOKS FRIKIN' DISTURBING ENOUGH WITHOUT HIM PATTING MY SHOULDER!" he hollered back at her.

She closed her eyes and willed with all her might that noone notice that outburst.

Too late. Sorai came running at the door, skidding to a halt a few feet from Kisb and Inuyasha.

"What's wrong?" she addressed Inuyasha, who, now having realized that it would be totally demented for Sesshomaru to come pat his shoulder and even more so for him to yell it out loud, just grumbled.

"Uh..good. Sorai, how nice to see you again." Sorai raised her eyebrow.

"Cut through the crap." she said, one hand on her hip.

"Uh...yeah..." Kisb tugged through her kimono's neck. " Is that anyway to be talking to your lord?" Sorai gave a look, THE LOOK. "Just kidding. The point being, help me!"

She stuffed the papers in Sorai's grasp and flopped down on the bed, having being relieved of her worries for the present.

00000000000000000000000000000

"So you're saying that this is a whole other time?"

Souta nodded.

"And you travel through the well?"

Souta nodded. The words came back to him, 'if you need it, through the well.'

"And right now I'm in modern day to-ke-yo?"

Souta nodded again.

"AND you expect me to believe THAT?"

Souta nodded as usual but then realized what Sikb had said and said, "Look, if you don't believe me, you don't have to. Don't deal with it. Just jump through the well and you're back in the feudal ages."

Sikb simmered. _Why was this kid acting so...knowitall? It was grating on his nerves, but more important was the worry of what Kagome had gotten herself into by now. She was probably demolishing his castle as he breathed._

He looked down. Kagome seemed to be in even skimpier clothes then usual, with

strange jewelry and makeup on. Was she going somewhere?

(her stuff from the festival)

Souta paced around the room. "You can stay for dinner if you want before you go..." he offered.

Sesshomaru was in a dilemma. Either go home first, or stay and explore this world first.

"Alright. This Sesshomaru shall stay for a meal in your humble abode."

Souta squinted his eyes. " You don't have to be so formal, ya know?"

_But I was meaning for HIM to be polite and formal, not to tell me to knock it off. Stupid people in in the stupid miko's stupid time don't get any goddamn stupid thing... _he grumbled mentally as Souta left him with instructions to come down after half an hour. That gave him more time to explore this room. Good.

00000000000000000000000000000

Sorai looked skeptically at the papers. "Kagome, you really don't know what you were writing, do you?"

Kisb shook her head, disrupting the long silvery hair flowing out.

"It makes no sense at all!" Sorai complained, wincing at bit.

"Listen to this." she continued.

"The castle is in dire need to renovation and had gotten quit old under its age. It lacks more advanced facilities and is not as great as a ruler of the lands as large as the western ones is expected to have. Therefore, it is the general opinion that I wonder where Shippo is? He really likes Rin and bothers Jaken doesn't he? The castle, once demolished, will save the garden making time in any other castle, why is Lord sSsshomaru looking around like that? I hope he- wait, I'm just going mad...mad with hunger. I LOVE COOKIES! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH ALMOST AS MUCH AS BUNNIES BUT THEN AFTER THE GODDAMNED MINION I HAVE GOTTEN OVER MY LOVE OF BUNNIES EXCEPT THEIR EARS ARE REALLY CUTE LIKE INUYASHA'S!I wonder when dinner is?" Sorai gave a disapproving stare at Kisb. _There's no punctuation either!_

"Uh...can't you postpone this until his royal popsicle comes back? I HATE politics!" she whined.

"Nop. He's been putting this off long enough, and the nobles at the end of their line." Sorai replied.

"Goddamn Sesshomaru left me with this crap to deal. Just wait until I get my hands on him..." she grumbled. "And what's up with you? The mood?"

Sorai sighed. " All my yellow clothes are dirty." _I can't believe that stupid maid forgot to take my clothes ALTOGETHER! God she was lucky she escaped with her life, making me wear red and black!_

Kisb looked at Sorai's clothes. Ah, she hadn't noticed, but Sorai was wearing a red colored kimono with black borders.

Kisb chuckled. " I have much more of a better reason of being annoyed then you. I have to go up in front of all those goddamn people in that goddamn room and make a goddamn speech about something I don't give a damn about in this goddamn body!"

Inuyasha spoke up. "Saying the same swear word too many times reduces it's effect."

"Point taken, oh swear master!" Kisb drawled sarcastically.

He 'keh'ed.

"If you don't want to deal with this, why don't you just get Lord Sesshomaru and ask him to write this all out for you just to read?" she asked.

Kisb's world brightened. " THANKYOU! The first useful idea someone's had all day! I love you!" and after hugging Sorai, and chuckling mentally at her thoughts, ( she was still in Sesshomaru's body and hugging Sorai), Kisb rushed out if the castle towards the bone eaters well, with Inuyasha running beside her.

On Sesshomaru's cloud, flying at breakneck speeds, they got to the bone eaters in less then five hours where as before it had taken roundabout four days waking there with everyone.

"Just you wait Sesshomaru you stupid bastard, leaving me with that political piece of shit!" Kisb cursed as she tried jumping through the well. _Work...work...work..yes!_ She cheered when it glowed a shining purple and they were transported into the future.

0000000000000000000000

"Ah! MOM...I'M HOME!" Kisb yelled as she burst through the well.

Sakura Higurashi leaned over the door frame and peered closely at the two newcomers. "Ah! Hello Inuyasha!" she greeted. _Mom? None of Kagome's friends call me mom..._

"Is this your friend?" she asked.

Kisb suddenly remembered that her mom would too freaked for words at the whole swap mind reading thing, and lowered her head a bit.

Sakura, seeing Kisb's embarrassment, laughed and said, "It alright. Everyone had little brainwaves now and then. I see all of Kagome's friends as my children. See, Inuyasha's like my son too!" she patted Inuyasha's head, brushing his ears while she was at it. Inuyasha reddened, turned his head and 'feh'ed.

Kisb smiled. Somehow, she had been feeling lonely when her mom didn't recognize her, but now felt immensely relieved.

She leaned over and hugged Sakura, and then went over to Souta. "Hey Souta!" she greeted. Souta replied, "Welcome back, sis, again!"

"Yeah!" she laughed then ran off to hug her grandfather with a loud squeal of "GRAMPS!"

Kisb was sitting across the room, busy being fascinated with television, when Kisb made it back. He turned around and groaned as he witnessed Kagome running around hugging everyone in sight, IN HIS BODY no less. Damn her.

But what really annoyed and scared him were the thoughts he was reading from her family.

Sakura Higurashi was a bit more then smitten at his beauty. Not unusual, he thought vainly, but still.

_OH MY GOD! Is that even a boy? HE'S GORGEOUS! He even has a tail! A tail! And white hair like Inuyasha, that is so cute! And he even calls me his mom...that's really cute! He barely looks in his twentys... I want to touch his tail..._

He shuddered and concentrated on pinpointing the location of the the other thoughts.

Souta was thinking, _sis sure has a lot of boyfriends... this guy is especially creepy, especially how he doesn't even look like a guy! I bet if went out on one hour he'd have a entire hoard of screaming fangirls...i would hate that. Poor guy._

And the old man who Kagome called Gramps, _AHHAH! Another demon to excorsize! I didn't even get through with Inuyasha yet! This isn't funny, Kagome keeps bring demons in this shrine...gr...AND HE'S HUGGING ME! Is this kind of curse? Ahhh! Run!_

Sikb laughed at the ludicrous thoughts of the old man. _As if someone could 'purify' him. But Inuyasha...gotta try that... _

Kisb was so overcome with the prospect of hugging everything and everyone, she, after hugging Buyo, ran over to Sikb and enveloped him in a big hug.

"I MISSED YOU! I LOVE YOU!" she yelled, still a bit um...unstable.

"Excuse me?" he said.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" she responded still hugging him to her now very much flat chest.

"I just thought you were delusional about me being Inuyasha or something...Uh...gerroff me!" he mumbled through his own hair.

"Yeah..." she smiled brightly and ran off to her room while Sikb groaned again. He shook his fist at the ceiling and moaned, "What did I ever do to deserve my reputation ruined like this! The almighty deadly Sesshomaru had been turned into a smiling hugging freak. Oh the humanity! Or demonantiy...whatever." he ended on a low note as Inuyasha withered with uncontrollable laughter at his speech.

"Nice clothes bro..." Inuyasha said. Sikb raised his eyebrow and looked down.

He gasped through his laughter. "Just wait till her mom gets a hold of your dog part!"

Sikb raised his eyebrow. "Dog part?"

Inuyasha stood up and motioned to his ears. "You know... like I have dog ears, you have a tail. They're out dog parts."

Sikb was suddenly very afraid of the cheerful mother.

"And who exactly came up with such a ridiculous term?" he asked causally.

"Kag-" he began saying a certain miko's name, but was cut off by a sharp scream.

"**SESS-HOM-ARUUUU!!**"

"What did you do now?" Inuyasha asked with an air of long annoyance, enjoying the scene.

" I didn't do anything. It's your stupid woman that has a problem with everything I do-"

"She's not mine!" he protested.

"Oh, yeah. Like I'll believe that after I found you two that day." he rolled his eyes and smirked at Inuyasha, rapidly reddening and stuttering.

_Ah...yeah...damn he's not supposed to know about that!_

"**AH SESSHOMARU! YOU IDIOT BAKA! YOU...LOOK WHAT YOU DID!**"

Kisb was storming down the stairs.

Sakura and her father were out back, maintaining the shelves in the storeroom, or else they would have thought it very strange that one of Kagome's friends was yelling at her about something she did. Confusing.

Kisb dragged sikb up the stairs by the elbow, Souta and Inuyasha just coming for laughs.

"LOOK!" she raged as she turned Sikb's head towards the room.

Or what used to be a room anyways. It was in shambles, her clothes spread out throughout the floor, on the bed, in the bathroom, on top of the closet, her drawers overturned, her closets thrown inside out, her old stuffed animals all over the place, the bed sheet on the floor, and her precious music CD's glinting on top of everything.

She turned to face Sikb, who now had a smirk on his face.

"Ah...I was investigating."

0000000000000000000000

How was that? I am very sorry it is not my usual rofl humor, but I'm trying and this writers block isn't helping. I need ideas! Review and tell me which part you liked best please!


	40. Chapter 40

Naraku's Mind Games

"Hehe..." Kagome couldn't stop her giggles. She had been giggling for the last three hours, and it was getting tiring. Her poor stomach had especially had enough and was now paining mercilessly. The giggles particularly ensured in almost killing her when a certain demon lord proved to be near.

_Damn him... _thought Kagome as she caught another glimpse of the deranged lord with very lazy lucky stars, and burst into peals of laughter.

She knew she was gloating on a very recent victory and turn of events in which, unfortunately for him, he was caught in the crossfire.

Yes, she was gloating about the fact that she had escaped the little politics room and left Sesshomaru to all his own misery. _And just in time too... maybe the minion did have a sense of timing..._

But it wasn't all good for her though. She was still in the clothes she wore to her performance.

**START OF FLASHBACK**

"Kagome are you going to wear THOSE?" Inuyasha asked, wrinkling his nose at the clothes Sikb was currently wearing.

Kisb 'tsk'ed. "Yeah..I know. They are a bit... sluttish, but I was gonna be on stage, singing! I had to dress up!"

And she related the whole story.

Inuyasha didn't take it as something too big. "So you got up on stage and sang. Good for you!" _Feh. Like that's hard!_

"You don't get it do you?" kisb yelled. "I got OVER my stage fright!"

Inuyasha winced. " Alright! Congrats! Happy now?" he muttered. _Goddamn women are evil. Damn Kikyo and damn Kagome for making me their slave. Damn all women! GAH!_

Sikb chuckled at his thoughts. "you know what? I think I should wear something else. Those clothes aren't feudal friendly."

Inuyasha laughed. "You mean Miroku friendly."

"Ah! No! They are TOO Miroku friendly! He has to change!" and she stomped up to Sikb.

Inuyasha scratched his head. "Uh...how are you gonna pull that off?"

But Kagome was already shoving her uniform into Sikb's arms. "Change into that."

Sikb raised her eyebrow. " You do realize that I'm in your body?"

Kisb nodded.

"And you want me to change?"

Kisb looked confused a bit.

"I am a demon lord. I do not take interest in such things. If it is your wish not to look any more demented then you do, then fine with me."

Kisb had finally realized what she was trying to do. "Uh... you do realize that would be wrong in more ways then you could count?" she tried backing out.

But Sikb, who just realized how squeamish this was making her, decided to joke on.

"Werent you the one wanting me to go change?"

"Uh..."

"Oh come on. I'll close my eyes!" he whined, actually having no intention to change at all.

"Sesshomaru! You pervert!" Kisb yelled.

"Oh yeah, you found out the real me!.." Sikb rolled his eyes. Kagome was too freaked by his joke to notice the sarcasm.

"AHAH! MIROKU'S RUBBED OFF ON EVERYONE! EVERYONE, I TELL YOU!" she yelled manically.

Inuyasha sniggered in the background.

Sikb could barely control his laughter. Kagome didn't have any sense of sarcasm, neither could she guess about motive, OR take a joke. Well not with him anyways. Talk about dense.

"It's alright Kagome, I'll make sure to shut the blinds!" he whined again and he brought his (Kagome's) hand across his (Kagome's) thigh, trailing his (Kagome's) fingertip over it.

Sikb was about to rip her hair out. (Sesshomaru's hair) " AHHH! YOU STUPID LECH! MIROKU YOU SON OF A B YOU FRIKIN' RUBBED OFF ON EVERYBODY! WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

Poor poor Miroku was going to be beaten to pulp at this rate when Kisb got back.

"Don't worry. I won't mind!" Sikb tapped Kisb's shoulder.

Kisb hollered at the top of her lungs. " SESSHOMARU YOU PERVERTED LECH, I HATE YOU

GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME! AAHHHHH! STUPID RETARD! JACKASS! GET THE F& AWAY FROM ME!"

_OMG! YOU believed ME!_ Sesshomaru was trying to keep from laughing so hard, he couldn't keep up his barrier, and instead sent a message to Kisb.

_What? _She narrowed her eyes.

_YOU believed ME! YOU'RE MORE GULLIBLE THEN JAKEN!_

_Say what? _Kisb was still a bit lost.

_I MADE YOU... YOU... AH GOD!_ Sikb smirked harder then ever.

Inuyasha, the bystander, was still looking as to what was happening to cause Sikb to go crazy like that.

"YOU." Kisb addressed a very unfortunate demon lord.

"Yes, me. I tricked you into thinking I had become Miroku's disciple! Ha! And the leg stroking thing? It's only fair considering you drool over my tail and hair on every swap... not to say I liked it or anything..." he said offhandedly.

"YOU!" Kisb was murderous. Inuyasha was a heap of giggling flesh on the floor.

He gasped out, " Big bro...you want some lifesaving advice?" Without waiting for an answer, "Run."

Sikb, who was now backing into a wall, nodded and broke out into a desperate sprint.

" YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY, SESSHOMARU YOU PIECE OF SHIT! SESSHOMARU YOU PIECE OF CRAP! DAMN YOU BASTARD! FRKING SON OF A B&! YOU STUPID SHIT EATING ABNORMAL WHELP! GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT ME! DIE!" Kisb hollered as she ran after her own body, leaving Inuyasha to giggle and wonder where she got her colorful vocabulary from.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Oh well. She was going to change now. Miroku had already commented on them, and she was too tired to do anything. Spring festival, a swap, trying to kill a certain demon lord, and time travel were far too much for one day. She yawned and prepared to hit the sack. Her school work could wait another day...or so she hoped.

00000000000000000000000000000

"So...are you sure about this?" Kohaku asked as they set out to complete the task they had set out to do before but were rudely interrupted.

It was the crack of dawn. "Pretty gutsy of you look at the sun like that." Kohaku commented.

"Why?" Naraku looked down curiously.

" I heard that witches dissolve in the air when they look at the rising or setting sun..." Kohaku grinned.

Naraku grabbed Kohaku. "Be...respectful..!" he gritted as he held Kohaku's head between his shoulder and arm.

Kohaku apologized quickly but slipping away kicked Naraku in the shin and held his head in the same manner he was held a second ago.

"What..why you?!" Naraku gasped under a grinning Kohaku's shoulder.

"You're getting too good at fighting.." Naraku mumbled sheepishly, rubbing his neck a moment later.

Kohaku grinned.

He bowed. " Thanks to Katana for giving me lessons!" Naraku gaped. " WHAT? You're learning from that scary witch? How could you?" he asked.

"No, really! She's an awesome fighter, and quite nice if you get over the formality. Besides.." he winked, leaving Naraku at a loss for words. " I think she likes you!"

Naraku fell over. (Anime style with legs twitching in the air)

"SAY WHAT?" he screeched. Kohaku gave him a disapproving look. " Shh! It's dawn you know! If you don't want to cross dress this time and be my mother, then at least be quiet!" Naraku reddened at the mention of his last expedition.

"Now, say what? Of course Katana's supposed to like me! I am her master!" Kohaku rolled his eyes. "Do I have to spell everything out for you?"

Naraku's eyebrow twitched.

"THERE!" Kohaku yelled, forgetting his quiet policy. "A bunny!" he sprang after it. The poor bunny, white with red eyes, and unlike his last minions, quite cute, didn't notice Kohaku until he was under him. Regardless of that, he squirmed free and scampered to safety, Kohaku and Naraku chasing after it.

"Hey! You bunny rabbit! Stop!" Kohaku called.

The bunny skidded to a halt, not to stop but to make a hairpin bend to the highgrass. Too bad Kohaku, being right behind him, trying to stop in order to try not to trample him, lost his balance and fell on the bunny. The rabbit was now trapped, and was trying to squirm free, but to no avail.

Naraku, having sprinted immediately behind Kohaku, came to a stop, the tips of his toes poking Kohaku in the side. _Uh oh... too much pressure on the toes._. and **thud**.

"GET THE F OFF ME!" Kohaku yelled.

"Uh...Kohaku..swearing..?" Naraku hinted, not bothering to get up off yet.

"Ah crap! Damn, I can't stop myself sometimes, shit. It's just so goddamn frikin' annoying sometimes."

Naraku was doing the Jakotsu counting method on his fingers. ( how he counted in episode 105)

Oblivious of the method, however, his answer came out correct. "That's six times in one minute... pretty good... even by my standards!" Naraku exclaimed, still on top of Kohaku.

"Idiot! Shit, get the hell off me! And hey! You're not supposed to be damn encouraging me, ya know?"

"Three more..." and an exasperated sigh...

Kohaku got up and held out the rabbit by the leg.

"Yes! Way to go, Kohaku!" Naraku cheered. He quickly chanted a verse and after licking his index finger, placed it, now glowing, on the terrified rabbit's forehead.

"No damn big deal..."

"One more..." Naraku commented.

"Wait a second... why am I still awake?" Naraku looked confused.

"Aren't you supposed to be?" Kohaku asked.

"No... Usually when I bond a servant... I feel really sleepy... when my mind enters his..." Naraku trailed off, not being able to make out words when the minion started moving again.

"YOU BROUGHT ME HERE TO CARRY YOU BACK, ASLEEP??"

"And he's supposed to be unconscious...for a day at least..." Naraku carried on, ignoring the recent outburst from Kohaku.

"There's something fishy about this minion." he concluded.

The bunny jumped out of Kohaku's grasp and addressed Naraku, staring at him unabashedly. "Whatccha looking at punk?" he challenged, shaking his fist.

Naraku's jaw dropped. This was supposed to be a obedient minion to help out his other one... instead there seemed to a bad mouthed minion who woke up in the wrong side of the bed...er...grass pile.

"But you're my minion!" Naraku squawked.

"Yeah, you being the stupid idiot who tranced me, yeah, I'm your goddamn minion now!" The rabbit flicked his ears.

Kohaku had just realized what was going on. " OH MY GAWD! A rabbit with an attitude! KWAII!!" he hugged the little thing to his chest. "Lemme go!" it argued, and when Kohaku finally got over his sudden cute attack, (common amongst fangirls) and put it down, it said, "I'm a demon you dimwits! Stupid of you make me your minion!"

Naraku's sweat dropped. " A...a.. d-d-emon?" he stuttered.

"Like, keh, yeah!" the rabbit rolled his eyes and transformed. There was a bright light and a little girl of about eleven years old appeared. Now normally Naraku didn't drool. Especially not over little girls. But this one was different. She was gorgeous!

There was no trace of cuteness, or innocence anywhere, instead it was all hard attitude, gruff but beautiful all over those iron eyes, silvery blond hair, and slender face. (if you make Sessh a eleven year old girl...)

"You-you—you-" Naraku stammered.

Kohaku blushed and tried to cover up his staring.

The girl flicked her hair over shoulder carelessly, and gave them a glare. "Oh quit staring! I'm not what I look like."

Kohaku saw his chance and slid in, holding the girl's hand. "You mean you're not the most beautiful girl I have ever seen?" he kissed the girl's palm. _Pretty...pretty...pretty..._

Naraku looked appalled. _Kohaku was a total... delinquent...and so...smooth!_ His adopted little brother was complimenting a girl in front of his eyes, while he stood still in shock. Not that he would anyways. She was still a little girl, and secondly, his minion. _Still... Damn, Kohaku was good._

The girl screeched. "Ahh! Ewww! Get off ...you stupid bastard!"

Kohaku looked up. "Did we offend you, milady?" he put on an accent.

He got punched across the head. " Yeah you smooth talking delinquent! I'm a frikin' guy!"

Kohaku stood still on shock. "I told you I'm not what I look like! And if you think I look weak, you've got another thing coming!"

Kohaku stammered a little apology and scampered behind Naraku. "Damn..." he cursed, as Naraku laughed and ruffled his hair.

"One thing, no swearing, and two:" He leaned closer to his ear. " It's alright... where the hell did you learn that?"

Kohaku grinned and answered, "Blame it on watching Ataru with his ways. And pickup lines."

"Ahh...yeah.. I still don't get why HE'S so popular..." Naraku sighed ( NOT SMITTEN!) and looked over at the beautiful girl...er...guy walking back with them.

"We should try and get to know this guy...he might have sisters..." Naraku pretending to look off dreamily, while Kohaku crashed his fist into his shoulder. "Pervert!" he hissed and walked off to catch up with their new female (NOT!)companion.

_Damn Kohaku...I was joking!_ He thought.

"So...what's your name?"

"Katsumi Usagi. You are Kohaku I think, judging by the whispering going on previously?" he grinned. "Forgive me for overhearing, but you and your older bother are anything but quiet, especially to a rabbit demon's ears."

Kohakau turned a deep shade of red. _Crap! He's not supposed to know..._

"Uh...forgive my... um...you know... misunderstanding, but you know I really did think you were a girl, my apologies."

Ssagi laughed. "Yeah, I get that a lot. Get over the formality! Now that your idiot brother had made me into his minion, I have no choice but to stick close to him and do his bidding... meaning we should be quite frank!"

"Your name sure has a literal meaning...victoriously beautiful rabbit...eh?" Kohaku commented, his eyes sliding over to where Naraku followed them sullenly. _He never really had any people skills..._

Usagi's eyebrow twitched and turning around unexpectedly, punched Naraku in the gut.

"WTF?!" Naraku gasped, the wind haven been knocked out of him.

Usagi cracked his knuckles. "I was testing your guard...which is quite poor by the way."

Naraku's eyes widened. "You cut through the barrier I put up!"

"There was a barrier? It must have been really weak!"

"Well duh!" Naraku rolled his eyes. "Compared to my barriers that making everyone's life hell, that was pretty weak, but I only had a millisecond to do it!"

"Oh quit whining!" Usagi snapped and picked Naraku up by the collar, despite the fact he was only an inch or two taller then Kohaku. Kohaku not being the world's tallest guy. Heck, he wasn't even as tall as Naraku! " What the hell?" Kohaku let out in shock.

"No swearing!" Naraku reminded his brother as he was flung on Usagi's back. " Hey! What the hell are you doing?"

"You're taking too long! I can carry you!" he answered with a roughish grin.

Kohaku stammered. "U-uh...Usagi... you do know how heavy Naraku is...right?"

Naraku let out sarcastically, "Oh no! He's just picking his master for the fun of it! Trust me to be BLESSED (coughdamnedcough) with making a minion who's not unbelievably pretty in human form, cute in rabbit form, and super powerful, with a smart aleck mouth and bity attitude to match Sesshomaru's!"

Usagi grinned, and flattered his long eyelashes, almost making poor Kohaku faint. "Yep, you got it right! Hey, can I call you Nak? Naraku's such a mouthful... or idiot, moron, bastard-who-turned-me-into-his-damn-minion would do as well..." he added thoughtfully.

Naraku jumped off Usagi's back and turning around, kicked him in the shin. It got there, and Usagi grunted in pain, but then whipped the other way, jumping up, and kicked Naraku's shoulder while in the air before landing gracefully behind him.

"You're lucky I'm not as fast as the usual members of the rabbit race... but I guess my strength makes up for it." he said, straightening out. Naraku stood up, hatred burning in his eyes, and smirked.

"No matter what you do, I am still your master." his eyes widened in pleasure as Usagi collapsed to the ground, forced into a kneeling position.

"Yes, master." he said, his face a shadow to naraku.

Kohaku, on the other hand, could see Usagi's expression's perfectly. He was grimacing, weather in pain or submission, he didn't know.

He figured it had to be the first one, as a sweat drop from Usagi's forehead found it's way to his chin and drip off slowly, making a meticulous impact with the dirt.

Kohaku stood in the middle of the two and smiled his most innocent smile. "Aww..break it up! Uh..I think I smell breakfast!"

That broke them up for the time being.

At breakfast, Kohaku noticed Naraku and Usagi carefully. Usagi was impossible to read emotions off of. Naraku was also unhelpful. He was too busy stuffing his face with Taru's famous cooking to do anything but pig out right now. Kohaku sighed and made a resolution._ I'll make sure Naraku doesn't be too mean to Usagi..._

The only useful comment that was made during breakfast was made by a smug Usagi, suddenly remembering something. "Ahh, yes, Naraku, Kohaku?" he addressed. They both looked up form their plates.

"I just felt the need to inform you, that I have no sisters."

"Damn." Naraku mock cursed, and Kohaku laughed nervously, a bit red.

0000000000000000000000000

"Soooo not fair!" Inuyasha was saying through the little white rock.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Like anything is. As much as I hate that expression, it is true. 'Life's not fair'"

(Naraku growled at the sound of his most hated expression.)

"But I really wanted to!" Inuyasha whined.

Kagome 'tsk'ed. "Look, just because by some miracle, Sesshomaru had managed to get the nobles to agree not to rebuild his damn castle, and astonishingly still has his hair, doesn't mean the world is coming to an end. So stop whining, so I can study!" she ordered.

"I wanted to take this entire castle with my windscar...I love destruction! I hate Sesshomaru!"

Kagome raised her eyebrows. "Have you recently come to hate him?"

Inuyasha pouted.

"Hey... where's Miroku or Sango? I'm bored!"

"They said their fighting skills were getting weak sitting around and went off to train in the weapons area."

"BUT I DON'T WANT TO TRAIN RIGHT NOW!' Inuyasha whined, louder then ever, and ticking Kagome off to no end.

"Sit boy."

THUD

"What was that for?!" an angry bark came. (no pun intended)

She sighed and 'tsk'ed again. "Inuyasha, I have exams coming next month. EXAMS! Lemme study!" she raised her book titled 'New Course English'.

"I don't even know what the crap you're studying! Its that weird language...screw it!" he said as he dragged her out of the room by the elbow.

"Where are we going?" she asked, struggling.

"To go see if Sesshomaru still has his hair." Inuyasha replied gruffly, then smiled as the sounds of her giggling reached him.

She wenched herself away and began to walk with him for a second until Inuyasha relaxed, then whipped around, and using the element of surprise to her advantage, ran in her room and locked the door.

"Sorry Inuyasha, but I have to study. I'll rest when I feel like I can't study anymore!" she shouted through the door.

She heard some grumbling then... snoring?

She stood there awkwardly, wondering if he was really that sleepy. _In that case I shouldn't keep him in the corridor._..she thought.

She opened the door a hatch, and a thought came to her. _Yes...a little more... hehe..._

but it was too late. The door was flung open and Inuyasha darted in, took her, flung her over his shoulder and ran out into the gardens, her kicking, yelling and screaming the whole way.

"PUT ME DOWN INUYAHSA!" she screamed.

He smirked. "As if I would. Keh."

Damn brutal honesty. Or being dense. He could have left her with a hope that he would put her down...but then again, no use crying over spilt milk...except if you wanted to gain someone's pity.

"AWAAHHYY!" Kagome bawled. "Inu...yasha...I.." she sniffed, her drama queen tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.

He put her down. "What wrong Kagome? D-don't cry..I-I..s-sorry!" he stuttered. _Ah don't cry! I'm sorry! Do what ever you want, just don't cry! Crying people grate on my nerves!_

She smiled smugly mentally and continued. "I...I-I'm sorry!" she cried. " But..-I-I- have to...I don't... have a choice... please.." Inuyasha was hooked on her every word.

_What? What did I do? Choice in what?Did I hurt you? I'm sorry! Ahh...Kagome don't cry..._

"Please...l-let...me..I-I...(sniff)..I..need to..g-get back..." she gushed out. _AH! Get back where? Where? I'll take you anywhere! Anywhere! _Kagome smiled at his cute intentions.

"I-I...need...TO STUDY FOR MY EXAMS GODDAMN IT!" she yelled, pushing him into the dirt and leaping away.

"What the-?" Inuyasha spluttered. She smirked. When he made to jump for her, well, a quick subjugation command put an end to that.

She crouched by him. "You really are too dense for your own good..." she commented.

_AH! KAGOME! What the hell are you doing? Inuyasha close your eyes...close your eyes! Goddammit! Panties...panties panties don't look don't look respect her privacy...houshi has NOT rubbed off on me..._

She gasped and jumped up. She had been wondering why Inuyasha was avoiding looking at her. She smiled sheepishly...

Why didn't Kouga face the same problem? He wore a skirt...or a skirt like thing kinda like hers...she would have to ask him.

Still lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Inuyasha until she was once again over her shoulder.

"Damn." Kagome cursed loudly.

000000000000000000000

"Now watch this, Usagi!" Naraku announced with a big flourish.

"Whatccha gonna do?" Usagi yawned.

Naraku quickly sent a message to Ugly Bunny. "Look, that guy! I'm gonna swap him.. and her!" he pointed to Sesshomaru in his room, and then Kagome over Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Yeah, they were perfectly evil to poor Naraku bro in kindergarden.." Kohaku said regretfully.

"In kindergarden?" Usagi raised his eyebrows almost to his beautiful silvery blond hair trailing down his back, to his knees.

Naraku groaned. Kohaku was gullible, fine, but telling this smart aleck? Not good.

He was just about to continue with the swap when he was noticed by Kohaku 'aah'ing and 'ooh'ing over Usagi's hair.

"Ahh...wow! What do you do to your hair? It's almost as droolable Sesshomaru's!" kohaku exclaimed happily as he slid his fingers through Ssagi's hair.

"Ah! Don't drool over it!" Usagi whipped around.

Kohaku laughed. " Don't worry! I won't actually drool over it..."

Usagi sighed in relief. "Good. And that guy? My hair is MUCH better."

Naraku argued. "No it isn't!" He still didn't really like Usagi, no matter how (for lack of better word) pretty he was.

"Is too!"

Kohaku stayed silent.

"No it isn't!"

"Yes it is!"

"You wish."

"In your dreams!"

"I've got better things to do then dream about Sesshomaru!"

"Oh...sure you do. That guy is pretty good, even by my standards! You don't stand a chance!"

_If Ataru could be so popular, then I am way up the ladder!_

"Sure I do! Even this delinquent is better looking then you!" he motioned to Kohaku.

Kohaku raised his eyebrow and smirked. "Even?"

They turned to face him, just in time to see him strike a pose and say, grinning, "Oh come on! You know I'm handsome!" Naraku and Usagi fell over themselves (in laughter).

"Oh sure you are! And I'm an outcast!" Usagi said arrogantly, tossing his hair.

"Yep! Now you get the picture!" Naraku...er...erm...uh..chirped. (A/n:yes, I can make naraku chirp. I AM EEEEEVIL!)

Usagi and Kohaku rolled their eyes as Katana entered the door.

"Ohio gozimas, Master Naraku!" (polite good morning) she Nazi saluted him with her eternal stern expression.

"Uh..hi Katana-senpai!" Kohaku greeted.

She looked down and grimaced. He learned later that she only smiled liked that.

Kneeling down, she asked, "Who's this Kohaku?"

"Uh..." Kohaku racked his brains for a believable answer. He knew that Naraku would be grounded for a very long time if his secret was found out.

"I'll ask her myself." she beckoned over Usagi over, and held his hands in hers. _This girl is soo cute!_

"Are you Kohaku's girlfriend?" she asked.

Usagi looked away from her and let out a desolate moan.

"We are a man."

"Are you still Kohaku's girlfriend?"

"I told you, we are a man." he sighed.

"Yeah..but are you?" "HEY!" Kohaku blushed.

"God dammit, NO!"

"Aww...aren't you? In that case you're still cute!" Katana rubbed the infuriated rabbit's head gruffly and addressed Naraku. "Yes, sorry to break up your argument about who's being the prettiest here, but your father is not well, and requires his rest. Please quieten down."

She turned to exit. "Wait!" Kohaku stopped her.

"Uh... to end out argument once and for all...could you give us the answer Katana-senpai?"

Naraku groaned. He somehow knew he didn't want to hear this. Katana grinned and answered, "Well, I think Kohaku and his friend come in first, no doubts. His friend for being...erm...pretty...and Kohaku's cute." she pulled Kohaku's cheek as she went out (after saying 'have a good life' of course), leaving them gloating over their victory.

"HaHA!" Usagi yelled, flying above their heads.

"OFF GAURD!" he gloated as he got Naraku in the arm.

Naraku balked, but then leapt for the rabbit, missed and shouted, "What the hell did ya do that for, ya bastard?"

Usagi landed gracefully as replied coolly, "You were off guard. The best way to learn is by experience."

"DAMN YOU!" Naraku lunged again. "HOW ABOUT YOU LEAVE MY GUARD TO ME?"

"I am trying to help you, you dimwit." he said, punching Naraku, but missing.

"Ok...help train his guard some other time!" Kohaku restrained Usagi.

"Alright." he merely shrugged.

"How come I don't have total control over you?" Naraku demanded from over Kohaku's shoulder.

Usagi turned to him. "One: 'cause I'm a full blooded demon, and you're only a halfbreed, Two: you already have one other minion, Three: I never agreed to be a minion of yours, and Four: 'cause your luck is screwed." he counted them off on his fingers in a walking-talking-dictionary manner.

"His reasoning DOES make sense.." Kohaku admitted, lowering his arms.

"Like bloody hell it does.."

0000000000000000000000000

Ok, how was that? Plz tell me which part you liked best! Seriously, I really like this Usagi character...tell me how he was! Did you think he was too stuck up? Too mean? ANSWERS!

And, YAY! CHAPTER FOURTY! BRING OUT THE BALLOONS!


	41. Chapter 41

**Naraku's mind games**

**WHERE THE HELL DID _THAT_ COME FROM??**

"SSSSEEEEESSSSSHHHHOOOOMMMMAAARRRRUUUUUU!!" Kagome screeched. It wasn't the middle of the nigh so she wasn't as loud sounding as usual, but she was good. She suddenly spotted something in the distance. A white clothed person with long white hair.

She ran over to the person and shoved her book back into his grip. "Study this in case we get swapped during my exams! I'll quiz you later, and you can quiz me! A study group!" she smiled.

Sesshomaru just looked up from the bag he was staring at just a second ago. "I don't have time-"

"Oh, thanks!" Kagome cut him off and run off. You know I do think I'll get better marks if Sesshomaru takes my exams for me...

"I'm making Sesshomaru study my books..." she hummed as she ran off in her usual cheerful attitude towards the gardens.

000000000000000000000

knock knock

"Come in!" kagome called, struggling to get off the bed. knock

"COME IN!" knock knock knock

"Oh for the love of..."knock

"COME IN!" knock knock knock

"ARE YOU DEAF?" knock knock

"Damn you!" knock

"What the-"knock knock

"WILL YOU SHUT UP OR NOT?"Knock

"FINE!"knock knock, knock knock, knock

"BE THAT WAY!" knock knock?

knock knock, knock knock knock knock, knock

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?" uh...knock knock, knock

Kagome stomped over to the door, infuriated by this stupid person who didn't seem to have any thoughts and his damn knocking.

"I told you to come-" she stopped in mid sentence when she saw Sesshomaru standing with her books.

She smiled and pushed her hair from it's sleeping mode. (all over her face) "YAY! Study group!" she cheered and yanked on his arm to bring him in before he could object.

_Wrong. This is not study group. There is no way this Sesshomaru is going to study with such a intriguing and difficult book with a dimwit like yourself._

_Done?_

_Yes._

_Good. Now lets get started._

_Weren't you even listening to what I was saying?_

_No, not really._

_Your impossible, really._

_Honto? (really?)_

_yes._

_Thanks._

_That wasn't a compliment._

_I wasn't asking for one._

_I wasn't giving you one._

_Good for you fluffkins._

_Don't call me that._

_Says who?_

_Says me!_

_And you are...?_

_The great Sesshomaru who can easily kill with a flick of his hand._

_Oh I'm honored._

_You should be._

_Well, I am._

_Isn't it amazing that a meeting with anyone from Inuyasha's friends results in nothing every time?_

_Inuyasha's friends? Aren't we yours?_

_You wish._

Kagome feigned crying. _Not fair! And I thought I was your friend.! WAAAHHHH!_

_It is also amazing that we successfully manage to talk about NOTHING the entire time..._

_It's also amazing who much of a bastard you are._

(random people who can somehow hear their mental conversation go 'oooooooouch')

_It is no less astonishing how you never get tired of this damn never ending conversation._

_Right! _Kagome smiled. _You keep it going!_

_I keep it going? _He scoffed.

Yep! _Now to study!_

_I just told you! I am not studying with you!_

_But if we get swapped during my exams then you have to take them for me!_

_No way am I going to take some strange test for you._

_Yes you are._

_No._

_Yes. _

_No._

_Yes._

_No._

_Yes._

_You can't make me. Damn I'm sounding like Inuyasha..._

_On the contrary I can!_

_Your not supposed to say that!_

_Well, too bad. I did. What are you going to do about it?_

Sesshomaru muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Never again as long as I live will I befriend a miko..."

_A-HA! So you DO think of me as a friend!_

_Says which mentally retarded person here?_

_YOU DO! Ha!_

_Truly the idiot._

_I know._

_You are._

_I know you are._

_Not me, YOU!_

_Yeah! NOT ME, YOU!_

Sesshomaru slapped his hand on his forehead. _ Idiot._

_Yeah I know._

_You! Kagome Higurashi is the idiot!_

_Yeah! What do you take me for? You! Sesshomaru what-ever-the-hell-your-last-name-is-royal-popsicle is the idiot!_

Another red mark on Sesshomaru's forehead. _Damn your moronic mind._

_Blessing accepted._

_Just GET ON WITH IT!_

_Oh! with the study group?_

_No, on with your life._

_Sorry, but my life's gonna be hell if I don't pass high school._

_Good. Then you know how you make my life feel all the time._

_I don't?!_

_All the reason to do even the parts I know wrong!_

_If you make me fail on purpose, I swear I will not hesitate to fluffy you into eternity._

_Oh sure. Your going to roll over and die in about what? At the current rate your aggravating me, ten seconds._

_Was that the threat?  
_

_Did it sound like one?_

_Nah...you just said you would kill me._

_THAT IS A THREAT YOU IDIOTIC MIKO!_

_It was? oh—ooohhhh!_

_It's times like this I wonder what my brother sees in you._

Kagome flushed. _What?_

_Don't deny it._

_D-d-deny what?_

_Your stuttering in your mind. Pathetic._

_Back to the topic. Denying what?_

_I was under the impression I came here to tell you something else._

_Whatever. Deny what?_

_That Inuyasha for some godforsaken reason, loves you._

Kagome flushed again as Sesshomaru continued.

_Now you'll probably make my even more hell if your living here 24/7 with Inuyasha as your mate._

_WHAT? _

_Oh come on._

_Don't you 'oh come on' me._

_It's weird how people like to deny things, even if the other person had proof._

_Oh yeah? What proof do you have to make this little fairytale of yours come to life?_

_I remember a time not too long ago...here I was...calmly walking in a deserted corridor minding my own business..._

_MINDING YOU OWN BUSINESS?_ She spat.

_Yes. I believe that is what I said._

_You were spying! You idiot!_

_You have nothing to prove THAT accusation, unlike some OTHER person here..._

_You're being sarcastic aren't you?_

_No, I'm singing._

_Really?I love singing! Let's sing together! _Kagome snickered. She just LOVED how doing the stupid miko act annoyed Sesshomaru so much...

_So...whats the tenth number of Pi?_

_Say what?_

_Start listening the first time!_

_Your the last person I want to hear that from!_

_I'm the last person who wants to have to tell you that!_

Sesshomaru slapped his forehead again. _Why I am cursed with having to be around you, is beyond me._

_It's beyond me why I am cursed to stay around you._

_WILL YOU STOP TWISTING EVERYTHING I SAY?_

_Why I have to twist everything you say is also beyond me._

_Stupid miko._

_Why, thank you!_

_Miko just got stupid-er._

_Your welcome! (bows)_

_Miko just hit rock bottom. Miko is the stupidest!  
_

_Aaawwww! Isn't that cute? Fluffy is complimenting me!_

_Or so I thought._ He rolled his eyes. _Ok, anyways, your moronic antics aside, these books, what are they all about? I could only understand these two, and only barely by guessing my way through._

_That one's the math and kanji one. I thought so. So your clueless in english, history and most of geography. Damn._

_This kanji one was easy, the mathematics, I could do it all, but the rest..._

_Ok, how about I don't make you study history? _She had a bad feeling about what might happen if Sesshomaru came to know about the future...

He grabbed it out of her hand.

_Uh...it's human history anyways! It doesn't concern you!_

_It'd better not. _He threw it back and sat down with the geography. After about five minutes of him flipping pages mindlessly with Kagome staring suspiciously, he got up. "done."

She gaped. _But you only flipped through!_

_I memorized it._

_You can't do it that fast!_

_A lifetime of reading does that to you._

_I'd like to experience that...you read at lighting speed!_

_Slower. And the book was quite interesting...I never knew about this 'europe' or 'america' places.._

_I wonder how they are like right now..._

_Those places?_

_Yep...I always wanted to go to Europe...but in medieval times...OMG! AWESOME IDEA! _She cheered.

_Un. There is absolutely no way you can expect me to..._

_LETS GO TO EUROPE! YAY!_

_What the..?_ He felt the urge to wince, but stopped himself.

_EUROPE! I CAN"t WAIT!_

_Uhh...miko?_

_Europe...I can't wait...I'll start packing! _She began to empty her bag on the bed and run out of the room when Sesshomaru grabbed her by the collar, jolting her a bit before she came to a stop.

He held her at eye level.

_Miko, get it in your thick skull. WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, ESPECIALLY NOT EUROPE._

_Sure we are! Start packing! We're leaving in a day!_

_What did I just tell you?_

_Uh...your scared of going to europe?_

_No. we are not going to europe._

_Yes we are!_

_No we arent!_

_Yes._

_No._

_Yes._

_No._

_Yes._

_No, and that's final._

_Killjoy. I'll take Inuyasha with me!_

_Go ahead. _

_Goody! Come on! Your gonna help me convince him!_ She grabbed a very surprised Sesshomaru by his tail and proceeded to almost drag him out the door before she ran into Inuyasha.

"Oh! There you are! Get ready! We're going to Europe!"

Inuyasha muttered, "I guess that what they call 'out of the blue...'" _Why the hell is Sesshomaru with her?_

Sesshomaru smirked. _Over protective I see..._

_You read._ Kagome corrected.

_What?_

_You read his mind. You didn't see him._

_You're going to fail if you keep on thinking like that._

_I know...wahhh!_

"Ok, anyways, you'll take me won't you Inuyasha?" Kagome put on her sweetest smile.

_Sesshomaru ya bastard what kind of brainwashing did you do to her?_

"Uh...where exactly is Europe?" he narrowed his eyes on Sesshomaru who shrugged.

"Ohhh! I know! It's...only around...6 thousand flying miles over the ocean...heh..." Kagome laughed sheepishly.

"Oh right! I'm SO sure we have time to go around to weird places when Naraku is on the loose!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"YAY!" she smiled widely. (it would put Rin to shame) "I knew we could g- waaaait a second...you weren't being sarcastic were you?" she narrowed her eyes at Inuyasha who just looked dumbly at her.

He put him hand on her forehead. _You don't have temperature do you? _"Sesshomaru have you been giving her something?" he asked to the widely smirking demon lord over her shoulder.

"Like?" _As if._

"Ummm...maybe sake or something?" he asked, now having drawn his hand away.

"Nop. This Sesshomaru has many other ladies to drink sake with." he smirked again at Kagome thoughts. _AH! MIROKUS RUBBED OFF ON EVERYBODY!!_

And then at Inuyasha's. _Well, well well. You would think he could call me on one of his sake sessions... wait 'till Miroku gets ahold of this._

Kagome sighed. _Miroku deserved to die. Now. Now everyone's a frikin' pervert!_

"That's it. You've been studying too much." he picked her up and threw her on the bed. "you'll get them tomorrow." he said as he proceeded to make a getaway with Kagome's backpack. _Not._

Kagome sat up on the bed and screeched "INUYASHA! GIVE ME BACK MY BOOKS!" a thought cam back to her. _I will.Not. Go to sleep!_

Sesshomaru smirked. _See? We're not going anywhere. Now, about the book, you can get them tomorrow. And don't make me repeat myself, I AM NOT GOING TO STUDY THEM._

_Bummer._

_You could say that._

_I am._

_Your thinking it._

_Shut up killjoy! We are going to Europe._

_We can't! We don't even know where that place is! We can't go!_

_Humph...I hate you._

_Now be good and go to sleep or else I'll have to tie you down._

_Like you did last time?_

_Yes._

_You do remember what I did to you after you tied me? And the fact that I won the little fight of ours, ending up with Sorai in the middle of the night. _She snickered.

Sesshomaru was just starting to get annoyed. A weird thing but ever since he had known this miko personally his patience had been tested so many times that he no longer got angry so easily. Except for with Jaken. But then again even looking at the poor imp made Sesshomaru's blood boil. Poor poor Jaken.

Kagome flopped down on her bed. _Get out. I'm going to sleep. Exams can go to hell._

_Don't worry. I'm going. Sheesh._

And he walked out the door.

000000000000000000000

I just had this sudden urge to write one of their LOOOOOONG mental conversations (coughargumentcough)...don't kill me. I know this was a filler chapter...but I felt the need to write this for some reason. This wasn't the best chapter, but I'll make it up to you all!


	42. Chapter 42

Naraku's mind games

"OFF GAURD!" Usagi screamed as he took a giant flying leap and kicked Naraku across the shoulder. "Damn you!" Naraku cursed, but this time he had something else he could do. He reached up with his uninjured hand and yanked Usagi's ankle down, hard. He came crashing this being a total surprise to him. Too bad for Naraku though, who had yanked Usagi right on top of him in desperation, making him crumple and crash into the ground with the hyper rabbit on top of his fallen form.

"Gerroff me!" Naraku said in a muffled voice. Then some coughing, gagging, spitting. Then, "Get your hair out of my mouth, rabbit!" Usagi panicked. "Ahh! You tried eating my hair! Get off me stupid monster! Now it's all covered with spit!" and he ran off to the nearest water source to wash his hair.

"Stupid Naraku had to go and try to eat my hair.." he grumbled as he sat by the pond with his long hair flowing into it.

Kohaku snuck up from behind. "Hey!" he called. Usagi didn't turn. Kohaku approached him. "hey! What's going on?"

"Stupid naraku tried eating my hair!" he grumbled again, and Kohaku laughed. "Well, it seems I need to cheer you up!" and with a fluid movement he calmly pushed Usagi off the rock ledge and into the cold water.

"Ahh!" he screamed. Then he regained his balance and surfaced. "Damn you Kohaku! I might as well take a bath now that I'm all wet already..." Kohaku smiled.

000000000000000000000

"Hey Kouga!" Kagome called from behind him, which was a total opposite of usually happened.

He turned around. "Yes, Kagome my love?"

She blushed, mentally kicked herself for blushing then asked, "Uhhh...d-do you wear anything under your skirt?" That sounded too out of the blue...  
Now it was Kouga's turn to blush. Ah! So she does like me! Muawahah! "You can check if you want." he grinned.

Kagome lost the smile. _Stupid Miroku had to rub off on everybody. OH NO! What if he rubbed off on her too?! But all the same, she was abnormally curious how Kouga managed to crouch and everything and she never heard anyone thinking how they could see Kouga's panties...er...boxers...whatever._

"No really! There IS my room, or yours...or the deserted gardens..." he called out to stop her as she huffed off.

"Ohh come on! You know you want to!" he added huskliy sliding up to her. Now this was just annoying.

"WANT!" he plummeted.

_Yes! I knew she liked me!_ "I'm guessing your so exited you cant even make proper sentences...but you got the meaning across!" he grinned. (he was lying face upright). _Oh I am handsome...I make her dizzy don't I? Be mine! Kagome forever! _

"WANT!" she screamed again. _Ahh! That was your subjugation word, not an acceptance... not wanting you...not wanting to go anywhere with your perverted soul.._

"It's alright!" _Worship my hotness! Don't resist...man I'm good._ He grabbed her arm and slid his claws along it up to her neck, where she slapped it off, then slapped him, and after subduing him, went off to kill Miroku.

(a/n: I was recently wondering what would happen if Kagome asked him this...this is the result! Hehe...don't take this too seriously!)

00000000000000000

" MI-RRR-OOOOKKKUUUUUUUU!" Kagome screamed bloody murder.

"Yes my lady?" a purple blur hand her hand before she even saw him. _I guess when you've practiced holding girl's hands that much you get fast..._

"You do realize how I was screaming for you?" Miroku smiled a perverted smile. Kagome replayed her words and mentally kicked herself.

"My point being-" she cut off his comment. "You know I'm likely to kill you when I call you in that tone, and yet you still come?"

Miroku smiled. "Ahh, yes! But when a pretty lady calls me it's hard not to!"

Kagome smashed her fist into his shoulder. "You stupid creep! Your rubbing off on everyone! EVERYONE I TELL YOU!" she roared.

Miroku rubbed his shoulder then laughed a throaty laugh. "B of course! I will rub off on everyone and RULE THE WORLD WITH PERVERTEDNESS!"

"I KNEW it!" Kagome accused.

"It was my plan from the start..." he laughed diabolically, his head thrown back.

Kagome winced. "So, you creep! Stop it! Stop trying to dominate the world!"

"NEVER! I WILL RULE THE WORLD! MUWHAHAH!!" Miroku laughed even more. Now Kagome started to notice a strange glint in his eye. Was it the lust of power?

Sango stomped over. "You stupid lech, you know you had a fever, then ate five of those painkillers of Kagome's and NOW YOUR UP AND RUNNING ABOUT? I don't think so!" and she dragged him by the ear back to his bed.

Kagome sighed. So it was more like a overdosed-on-medicine-delusional glint.

00000000000000000

Naraku sighed, sitting in the garden. He raked his hand across the grass, uprooting some and throwing it on a rapidly forming pile on his right._ Bored bored bored_ he chanted.

Even the minion would take a day or two to find Sesshomaru and the miko...so his current form of entertainment was out of order. And his mother still didn't let his out of the house (he had snuck out to get Usagi) even though the bandages on his wrist were off now.

This was going to be a looooooonnnnnnggggg day.

(a/n: not when I'm here!)

00000000000000000

"Hey Usagi...do you want to use this somehow?" Kohaku held up a jar of dark purple glittery goo which he found in one of Naraku's drawers in one of his recent raids.

(see chapter-lady fate's beloved, Naraku is cleaning his room)

Usagi grinned. He would soooo love this...

00000000000000000

"Master Naraku!" Naraku glanced up to see Katana waving at him from the balcony.

"Yes?" he asked, still uprooting grass.

"Uh...could you please come up for a moment?" she flattered her eyelashes so prominently it could be noticed even at the distance Naraku was.

Naraku got up._ I wonder what she wants_... he mused. _Maybe she'd planning to murder me...she'll murder me if I don't go anyways...so.._

Katana smiled at ran inside her room. As Naraku trudged up the stairs, Usagi poked his head inside the door, grinned and nodded at her. She nodded back, and gave him a thumbs up sign. Usagi smiled again, and looking over his shoulder, quickly scurried away.

He knocked on the door. "It's Naraku, you called, Katana?"

She opened the door and smiled. "Come in, please be seated!" she smiled shyly.

He raised his eyebrow. _Katana? Shy? You've got to be kidding me. She's a blade. Her name merely proves so._ He scoffed mentally.

She turned around, her eyes still downcast and slipped her hair out of the high pony it was usually in. Naraku clutched his chair. _Why again did she call me here?_

"Uh..Naraku..Master Naraku..." she stuttered, sitting by a rapidly getting-nervous-Naraku.

"I wanted to tell you..." she traced his hand over his. He tensed. (more like jump ten feet in the air) Is she playing with me before she murders me? Like how a cat paws the mouse before it's kill?

"I...I...really like you!" she looked up earnestly. Naraku's heart skipped a beat.

(An: drama queen, but can you guess what's gonna happen next? Now, I have explained many times my hatred for cheesy romance. Therefore, obviously not let this become one. Wait for it...it's gonna be goooooooood. snicker)

"You...like...me?" he stammered. She nodded violently, upsetting her hair.

"Could you...c-c-all me something else...other then Katana?" she had her eyes downcast again.

"l-l-like what?" although Naraku was a GREATLY EVIL being, something as simple as this had him quivering in his boots..er...sandals.

"I dunno...maybe.." she blushed a hot crismon again. "W-whatever you like..."

Usagi poked his head round the door. "Hey, Katana, we need-" he caught sight of her and Naraku sitting beside each other and grinned a grin that Naraku hated at once. "It's alright, if I'm disturbing you I can just tell the mistress that your...uh...with Naraku in your room sitting beside each other with your hair open holding his hand..."

Katana snatched her hand away from Naraku's.

Naraku hated Usagi oh very very very much right that moment. He hated him so much, he didn't even notice Katana was blushing and any other guy would be loooooong gone by now. It was almost if Usagi had called her on cue...

That was why when he did notice, he almost tripped over himself to try and excuse himself. "Uuh...no, it's alright, Katana you can go. I have to go myself, thank you." he bowed. (which also left Katana with a twitching eyebrow and Usagi grinning a BRILLANTLY evil grin)

He ran out of the room and into the next corridor, where he paused to catch his breath and unheat his flushed face. _Damn_...he thought._ I'm blushing all over!_ And he went to take a cold shower very calmly.

Hatu and Taru got up, rubbing various newly formulated bruises. "What's gotten into him?" Hatu grumbled as he surveyed the tea he just spilled.

He had been calmly walking down the hall with Taru carrying tea and suddenly a purple blur comes up screaming, "AHH! GET AWAY! GET OUTTA THE WAY!" and runs him over before he can do anything. In the middle of the chaos he also thought he caught a fleeting glimpse of Naraku's face...but then again if it turned out to be a purple tumbleweed, Hatu would never have known.

(A/n: calm indeed...)

Back in Katana's room, Katana and Usagi were holding hands and jumping up and down chanting in a singsong 'We did it!' and giggling away like a couple of crazed infants. No really.

"Did he really believe you?" Usagi asked for the millionth time.

"I told you, yes! I almost feel sorry for the poor guy!"

"Well I don't!" and they shared identical grins.

"Naraku..." Katana breathed, and then burst into laughter with Usagi.

"Soo...did you make out?" Usagi asked.

Katana hit him across the head. "No idiot! There was no damn way in hell-"

"Swearing alert!"

"I would do that! That would be taking it too far! I'd be scarred for life!" Katana protested.

Usagi shrugged.

"Do you have any of the black goop left?"

Katana shook her head. "I used all of it...I wonder if it's reusable?" and suddenly Katana's shape morphed into a mouse.

"Wow...you're good at this!" Usagi exclaimed and the mouse transformed into Naraku, and then to his mother.

"Naraku! No swearing!" he imitated, shaking his hand in a no-no way.

Usagi chuckled.

" I have to will this off?" the morphing monster asked.

Usagi shrugged. "Worth a try."

A few seconds after, the big black blob a.k.a the morphing monster started to melt into Usagi's height and a lanky figure. The tip of the head emerged, and then a small ponytail. After that, the face, Kohaku's grinning face appeared and as the goop left his body, he was left in Katana's clothes.

When the last of the mysterious substance found in Naraku's room had convulsed and disappeared into nothingness, Usagi took a look at where it had been. "There goes a lot of fun and planning..." he shook his head sadly.

Kohaku's voice was muffled from the shirt he was pulling over his head, leaving his body, covered in a diving suit like thing, the thing that covered his body no matter what form he took on. (which meant that it covered the body when he was impersonating Katana)

"Yeah but I wonder how he'll act around Katana now...when she gets back from the market with mother...heh.."

"Katana...if he calls her darling, or sweetlips, or like love...what'll she do?" Usagi pondered on a very important topic.

"Maybe she'll..." Usagi punched and kicked the air to get his meaning across.

"Or maybe she won't mind at all, because she already liked Naraku and now even love him? And then she'll get married to him, and Naraku will happily ever after." Kohaku lsaid with a surprisingly straight face.

They put their arm's around each other's shoulders and laughed for the better part of an hour. "Pft. As if!" they said in unison when they got over it.

(a/n: Kohaku and Usagi are quite evil aren't they? Call it Naraku's influences...he isn't an angel either.)

00000000000000000

"I hate this I hate math I'm gonna fail and repeat the year I'm gonna fair and all my friends are gonna go ahead I'm gonna fail I hate math I hate math I hate math I HATE MATH!"

Miroku chuckled in the guest's common room. "You would think that Lady Kagome woulden't study if she hates it that much..." he remarked when he heard Kagome's voice rising above the hushed levels and reaching from here to the room next door in which they were currently in.

Sango sighed. "It sure is a strange era...maybe she has to do it?"

"Not sure. But what point is there of taking those 'exams' of hers of she might get swapped with Sesshomaru?"

sango gasped. "Your right for once...I think your getting smarter!" she feigned surprise and put her hand on Miroku's forehead. Mistake. That left Miroku's hands free, and herself with no defense. And not one person can not know what Miroku does with his free hands when Sangos sitting by him unless he or she was dormant for the past thousand years.

"AAAIIIYYYYEEE!"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Monk, remove your hand or it wont be attached to your shoulder next time you look."

Mirkou gulped at Sango's clenched teeth threat.

00000000000000000

Katana walked up to her room. The entire house had been acting...crazy.

Usagi and Kohaku burst into laughter forced tears whenever she seemed to be near, and Naraku kept glancing at her and blushing. And avoiding her probably. The curiosity put her in a bad mood, which meant everyone else was being sickeningly sweet to her, and avoiding her. Damn the mood.

She threw open her closet and stared at intently for a moment before noticing Kohaku's scent over the hakama she was going to wear.

Maybe this is a clue...?

She raced to Kohaku's room and knocked. He answered, laughing with Usagi with him. They had become best friends faster then Katana had ever seen anybody. Now they were inseparable. Upon seeing her, the two cracked up further.

She walked in. "Alright Kohaku, what's the joke? And why is your scent all over my clothes?"

Kohaku gulped and looked guilty as hell for a second before Usagi, grinning, filled her in.

"Uh...Kohaku was wearing them, and there is no joke. We were laughing at something else."

"Why was Kohaku wearing them?" she raised her eyebrow.

Usagi racked his brains for an answer. "Uh...he likes them?" he offered lamely.

Kohaku stood still and tight lipped. Usagi got a grin. "Wearing girl's clothes make him feel pretty." Kohaku spluttered and shot daggers at Usagi who was grinning from ear to ear.

Katana got up. He was just a little kid. It was probably a dare or something...

"Ok, so what's the joke?" she asked.

Usagi's smile faltered. He wasn't expecting this.

"Uh...uh...what joke?" he tried buying himself some time.

"The one you two have been giggling at like hyper little girls for the entire day?" she clarified.

"Ahhhh...that one..." Usagi stalled for some more time. Kohaku saved him...kinda. If you didn't count how lame that was exactly was.

"Ummm...see that bird?" Kohaku pointed out of the window at a random bird. Katana raised her eyebrows. "Well it's been sitting there the entire day and just drinking water more and more and more!It's funny!" Kohaku started laughing and fell back on the bed, more to the thought of how lame that sounded then the actual bird.

Katana raised her eyebrows. Then she rolled her eyes, muttered "Boys..", sighed and walked out the door.

"Have a good life." she greeted.

The door closed and Kohaku rounded on Usagi. Usagi was laughing. "So...nice save. A bird? Funny?"

He gulped when he saw the murderous look on Kohaku's eyes. "WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT ME WEARING GIRL CLOTHES?" he roared.

Usagi backed off a bit and laughed nervously. "Uhh...about that..."

000000000000000000000

Katana was carrying up Naraku's tea to him. As she climbed the stairs she saw Kohaku and Usagi sitting together and doing something in the open area in front of Naraku's room door.

She knocked. Boy was she tired today...

Naraku opened the door but then tensed when he saw who it was. "Uh...come in.." he stammered, looking throughly uncomfortable. She took the tea inside.

There was silence as Katana waited for Naraku to finish his tea, stoic, professional as always.

Naraku seemed to be taking longer then usual.

"You can take t-t-this now..." he smiled shyly (imagine Naraku doing that!LMAO! This is the reason I couldn't control myself not to write this idea! ) "...Katana darling..."

Katana froze in mid-walk. _What did he just call her now? Darling? Her? He called her that? Oh my god? Has the world come to an end? Naraku? My heart's stopping...Call her that? Why are there...stars around my head? Oh...pretty..._

THUMP

"Uh...oh.."

00000000000000000

Usagi and Kohaku looked on and hid their silent jeers. "Aww! She was too tired to beat the crap out of him! We'd better go clear this up for another try!" Usagi said and dragged Kohaku to Naraku's room, where he was just staring at Katana's fallen body.

"uUmm...she must really be tired...she WAS shopping all day with mother...you know how hard THAT is!" Kohaku laughed nervously while they dragged Katana back to her own room.

000000000000000000000

"W-what am I doing in my room?" Katana asked the second she woke up.

"Ahh! Katana, you kinda fainted from exhaustion..." Kohaku said. He decided not to tell her about the shock part...let Naraku do that again...hehe...

She nodded and ruffled his hair. "Thanks kiddo! How long have I been sleeping by the way?"

"About five minutes." she nodded again.

000000000000000000000

Naraku was still stuck in place, looking where Katana had fallen. _What exactly had happened? God this was...infuriating... for some reason he had a VERY very queer feeling about this..._

000000000000000000000

Naraku paced to Katana's room. He knocked. "Uh..Katana...I just came to know whether you were okay or not...'cause you fainted...can I come in?"

Katana shrugged. When did he ever want to come in the servants quarters? But maybe that was only because of Hatu...

She opened the door. "Yes, I am alright now. I thank you for your concern. Please come in."

Kohaku and Usagi looked on from inside Katana's room, unknown to Naraku, who stood in the door..

"It's alright. I'll be going now. I just wanted to see of you were doing alright...Katana-"

Usagi and Kohaku held their breaths. "-sweetlips."

Katana stared at Naraku in shock again. Usagi and Kohaku high-fived and grinned at Katana's twitching eyebrow. Is he trying to be funny?

Anger mounted in her, much to Usagi and Kohaku's delight. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" she thundered. Naraku wasn't feeling so good now.

"Um..uh...um...y-you asked me to..." he stuttered lamely.

Katana's voice floored him as she yelled. "ARE YOU TRYING TO BE FUNNY? Or flirt?GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"

Naraku stepped back.

And she proceeded to beat a very very confused Naraku into bloody pulp with Kohaku and Usagi watching and giggling.

00000000000000000

"I don't get it!" Naraku sighed again. "She asked me to-"

Kohaku cut him off. "Women are weird sometimes, lover boy!"

"Your the one to talk!" Naraku shot back.

"Hey! Pssst!" Usagi whispered in Kohaku's ear after dragging him to a reasonable distance.

"What?" He asked, annoyed at being interrupted from taunting a black and blue Naraku.

"Should we tell him?" he asked.

Kohaku laughed. "Tell him that I was the one impersonating Katana? No way! That's one mystery he'll never figure out!"

Usagi shrugged and looked Kohaku on as he went back to comfort Naraku. "Hey Naaarakkkkuuuu! I heard Kaaataaana made your skin is match your kimono!"

Usagi snorted with laughter

000000000000000000000

There! I hope that was funny! I know there was no plot stuff in there whatsoever, but I wanted to write this chapter. Please forgive me! (bows) I also really wanted to show you what kind of character Usagi is!

Sorry for the wait for this chapter, but I haven't really felt like writing anything and so have just been loitering around, finding myself another anime that I really like:- Kyou Kara Maoh! Anyone who can, check it out. It is, like hilarious beyond hilarious and kinda serious in all the right parts! Not to mention Wolfram...(he or Gunter could compete with Sesshomaru and Usagi!)

That...and I've been watching Bleach...and drawing a lot of funny comics based on the funniest couples...Renji and Byakuya...and I recently finished the Ouran High School Host Club series...I loved that! It was hilarious! Especially Nekozawa and his doll...hehe...does anyone else watch know these shows?

Ok, enough of my inconsistent yapping. I'm talking too much...

Now, hopefully, you've all had a good time reading about moments in Naraku's life. There's a HUGE surprise coming up soon so I thought it might be best if I treated you to this first...

DISCLAIMER:- I do not own the Inuyasha cast.

I do own my own characters though, Sorai, Usagi, Hatu, Taru, Katana, Naraku's Mom and Dad, Ataru etc.

Could someone tell me how my own characters are doing? I want to know if they're too bland...or unrealistic etc. Plz help me out here!


	43. Chapter 43

Naraku's Mind Games

Usagi grinned at his triumph. He had just jump kicked Naraku in the shoulder blades and sent him crashing. He was smart. He was strong and fast. He was evil. He was young. He was damn pretty. He was AWESOME!

(a/n: talk about ego...)

Naraku straightened up from behind him. "WHY YOU LITTLE-" he roared and threw a straight punch, which Usagi blocked and swept Naraku's feet out from under him, sending him crashing on the hard wooden floor.

Kohaku pressed his ear to the door. "So...I think they're getting violent." he reported to Katana, who just shrugged and said, "Well if they want to fight 24/7 then let them. It'll only increase the time that mother keeps them in time out in one room."

Kohaku raised a eyebrow.

"Come now. You have a lesson to learn." And she led a skeptical Kohaku outside.

0000000000000000000

Kagome stood with her jaw dropped in the doorway. She had been delusional she assumed, because she had just seen Sesshomaru take ten minutes and memorize all her books. _Damn him!_ _He literally took a second for one page...but then again being that old probably does that to you. _

_Worse, or better was the fact that he knew it all cold now._

"Alright...What's the twenty-seventh element in the periodic table?"

"Colbalt. It's a metal with magnetic properties...whatever those are...it is meteoritic...whatever the hell those are too...and the ores can be found in Canada, morocco and Zair...wherever the hell those places are."

"DAMN! You're not supposed to know that! They don't ask questions like that!"

Sesshomaru gave her a skeptical look.. "Then why are YOU asking questions like that?"

She put her hand to her face thoughtfully. "Good point...but please don't write the 'whatever' the hell thing in my exams! Try and figure it out if you have to...and I guess I'll fail in English. Bummer."

Sesshomaru spoke up. " I already told you that I'm studying these books because of their worth in knowledge not so you can pass you weird exam."

Kagome batted her eyelashes. "Are you sure? Aaaawww...and here I was thinking that you came to help me." she turned serious. "No really. If I fail the exams that YOU gave for me, then believe me I WILL not hesitate to fluffy-damn...er...sorry..." she offered lamely as Sesshomaru got up from the ground, simmering.

_STOP SAYING THAT YOU GODDAMN WENCH!_

_Don't mentally converse with me. I hurts in a big castle with loads of people like this one._

_Whatever._ "Hummoh." He turned his back and exited.

Kagome watched his retreating back. "He makes memorizing seem sooooo easy. But is it? Nooooooo. It's not goddamn fair." She muttered in self-pity. "Stupid math stupid science stupid English stupid history stupid geography...damn I suck at it all!"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. She was cursing so loud that he could hear her all the way down the hall...but that also may be due to his supersonic ears. Why she even wanted to learn about all these strange elements or as they were called, was a mystery to him. He didn't even bother questioning in depth about all the things in her books, because she probably didn't even know herself and it would take fifteen years to learn it all. Her era was too complex to learn overnight. Best let his curiosity drain out of him.

0000000000000000

"Hey, Kouuuuuugaaaaaa!" Kouga turned around. "Whatdday want muttface?"

"I'm bored...so thought we should pick up the fight we left off...a very very long time ago." he smirked. Training just wasn't enough. It had to be a real fight to get this hanyou's morale up.

"Nop. As much I would love to kick your butt right now, I have to go back and check on the pack. It's been way too long, and Hakkaku and Ginta can't take care of things forever." He spun around on the spot.

"Funny isn't it? A few days in the castle have turned you into a coward...I've never known you to turn down a fight before!" Inuyasha exclaimed, 'accidentally' out loud.

"Sorry dog breath. I have other things to do then to drag your sorry ass around the entire castle."

Inuyasha sat down on one of the trees in the gardens where he had followed Kouga. _Is he being wimpy or acting mature? Weird. Kouga? Mature? Puh-leez._

_But then again maaaybeeee it might be that necklace that 'want'ed some sense into him..._

0000000000000000000

"YOU KEPT US IN ISOLATION? WHAT KIND OF PUNISHMENT IS THAT? IT'S ALL HIS FAULT ANYWAYS! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU BRINGING ME INTO IT? BLAME USAGI! AND NO, KOHAKU BROUGHT HIM HOME, NOT ME! IF HE HAS A PROBLEM HE CAN GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE! I CAN'T STAND THIS BRAT'S PRESENCE FOR A MINUTED LONGER! I DON'T WANNA LOOK AT HIM! LEMME AT HIM! I'LL KILL HIM!"

Ataru sighed. This was going to be a difficult punishment to carry out.

0000000000000000000

Sesshomaru stood my the window in his not-so-private-or-secret study, his hair flowing with the passing breeze. He was in very deep thoughts about everything in general. One could say he was in a depressing mood. Usually in times like these, he would go out into the gardens and relax until the mood lifted. But when he went out to do just that, he was disturbed by a bored miko.

"Hey! Sesshomaru! Wait up!" she called as she increased her pace to catch up with him on the stone path in the garden.

He groaned. Couldn't she see he was trying to relax here? Over what he was not sure of...but he was depressed.

She came up with a huge smile on her face and shone sickeningly all over Sesshomaru's rainy parade. He groaned again. "Go away miko." he growled at her.

"Hey! What's with the long face? And you do know that if you say that, I'm definitely not going to go?" she asked.

"So am I supposed to ask you to stay if I want you to screw off?" he shot back.

She tiled her head back thoughtfully. "You can if you want to. But I'm not going to leave anyways, you know that!" she responded shaking her finger.

He groaned yet again. "I know. And I hate it."

A cheery smile replaced the thoughtful look that was there a moment ago. "Look, I know your not going to tell me anything about what's bothering you, but for some reason kami must have decided that I'm a saint and I'm going to cheer you up!"

Sesshomaru glared down at the raven haired miko walking by him. "Oookaayyy...I'll help you get your spirits up!" his glare wavered a bit but then returned to it's full force. Too bad this certain person seemed to be immune to it.

"I know! Let me braid your hair!" she squealed.

Sesshomaru growled. "Not on your life."

"Mmmmmmmm...okay...then fine...I know! Lets play dress up!" she yelled happily with a ear to ear smile.

"Uh...how about no."

"Sheesh. It seems you're really down." she huffed.

He turned his head away. "PICKING FLOWERS!"

He gave her another stare. "I knew it! That's perfect! You'll love it!" and she rushed over to one of the flower beds, uprooted the entire thing in a speed that would make Rin proud, ad the next thing he knew he was walking along a girl, now dirty and carrying a arms load of flowers, and taking the liberty to chuck one at his face every now and then.

He growled. Needless to say the girl showed no fear. Whether it was because she was extremely brave or extremely dense, we cannot say. A combination of the two maybe?

"Hmm...how about singing a song?" she continued her irritating chatter.

And she had to pick out THAT song too.

"It's raining it's pouring,

Sesshy's gonna go balding,

he'll lose his hair,

and lose his flair,

and get up BALD in the morning!" she chanted more then sang, giggling all the while. Sesshomaru turned around. Honestly, he hated himself for not trying properly to kill her when they first met. If only he had been a little careful...he would have been so peaceful right now... "Why do you think I'd get cheered up by the same things Rin does?" he asked.

"um...Because she got her aggressiveness-to-Jaken streak from you...so something of hers must have rubbed off on you- oh wait! Lemme guess! Your dying to wear your hair in a onesided pony hair hairstyle! Or wait! You want to go ballerina dancing!"

He groaned and took a few steps.

"Wait! Don't go! I'll cheer you up!" she called and grabbed ahold of the first thing she could reach, which happened to be his tail.

She got a sly smile on her face. "Hey...are you ticklish?"

He gave her an annoyed glance.

That just proved to confirm her suspicions. "Yay! You are ticklish!" and she attacked his non armored sides. He didn't even flinch. He stared down to her slipping smile. "Release me miko."

Kagome frowned. Then she tried another tactic. "Ok...so how about I cheer you up in another way?"

"How can you be of any use to me?" he put his knee up on a rock and stared up at the moon.

"Fine." she huffed. "If you don't want my help...then ok. But I will tell you this." She paused for effect. "Things could be a lot worse." She put on a sober face. "You could have weird markings on your face and prettier then most girls...even though you're a guy!"

It took a full three seconds for Sesshomaru to realize where that had come from. By then Kagome was laughing her wits out on the ground. "You...should have seen your face!" she gasped. Sesshomaru turned away and walked off, but smiled inwardly to himself. Stupid miko needed lessons on how to cheer people up.

0000000000000000

Naraku stood his ground, with his barrier erect. "Kohaku! Mother! Father! Ataru! Taru! Everyone! Hurry!" he yelled, grimacing as he watched the destruction he was amidst.

His mother was the first to stand her ground infront of him with her barrier up, shielding her son's barrier and himself.

"Mother..." he trailed off. "GET THE OTHERS!" she screamed over the eerily loud howling of the wind and the splinters and chunks of earth and wood flying around. Every time a shingle hit her barrier, she grimaced due to the sheer energy it was taking her to keep it up in this intenseness. She also had a large slit across her arm and was bleeding profusely.

Blood wasn't the only thing that was wet on her though. She was crying, the tears blocking her vision and clogging her mind. Her eyes traced over once again to the corpse of her fallen husband on the ground and her barrier weakened. Katana's eyes flared red. She turned to look at the way with the majority of people were, her hair whipping around her face and everything within a ten foot radius of her levitating and swishing around in a huge whirwind in which she was standing.

Their house, now without a roof or walls, was oozing with a strange aura, like Katana's but condensed by a many time. _Why?!_ Naraku shouted at himself. _Why didn't she tell us? Why didn't I notice? _

Katana had red markings around her mouth, and her hair had changed to reddish hue. Her eyes were all blood red, with no pupil showing.

She had! She was...! A hanyou!

The blood lusty Katana twirled around again with her arms up in the air. When she came to a stop the water around her formed a spear in her hand which then attacked Naraku's mother's shield with gargantuan force, once, again, and again. Naraku threw out his force field, making it explode by Katana. (It also left him vulnerable, but it saved his mother by a bit) It knocked the hanyou off course and sent her flying to the side, smashing headfirst into a tree. Naraku quickly ran over to his father. "Chechewe! Are you alright?" he shook him ferociously. His head limped to the side, bloody matted hair brushing against Naraku's arm. "No! Father!" He yelled, throwing the body in his mother's lap and shrieked in the air. "WHO DID THIS?!" Usagi was standing to the side, unaware what he should do. Kohaku and the servants were huddled over his mother and father.

Naraku walked surprisingly calmly over to Katana, now blissfully unconscious. "WHY?! WHAT DID HE EVER DO TO YOU?!" he screamed at her slumped body. There goes the calmness. _Why had she gone into the hanyou's blood lust so fast? WHY? Unexpected! The second he turned around katana had her sword wet with his father's blood and the water in a bowl making her spear in her hand. Then next thing they learned that was hanyou's like Katana could make whirlwinds using their spears. Somehow all they had managed to do was to get through the barrier and stay protected...except for his father that is._

He kneeled down, letting his body drop down onto his knees. _Why did this go wrong? Why did Katana not tell anyone she was a hanyou? And why the sudden bloodlust?_

Naraku lowered his head. There were so many questions. Not that it would make any difference now. His father was dead. His real father. After he became hanyou, his father hadn't kicked him out, instead married a poor demonness to support him. And now, after everything he did for Naraku, Naraku couldn't protect him. He lost him. He was dead. Naraku was shaking visibly in a sadistic combination of anger, grief, and shock. How could this...?

He still couldn't get it right. After everyone he had killed, and enjoyed doing it, tortured, murdered, brought against each other, he had no idea that one man's death would affect him so much. Fate was just, maybe, but cruel. The old man had no idea about Naraku's misdeeds. He didn't do anything. He was innocent. And now dead.

How many innpcent people had he slaughtered? Too many to count. Innocence was a waste. What was left now was revenge.

He stood up shakily, leaning on a tree, and wobbled over to Katana's body. He drew his sword. He would get revenge. Admittedly, his father wouldn't have cared at all, but he did. He needed it. He needed to have the thought in his head that his father was avenged. Avenged. Such a viciously beautiful word.

He raised his sword, prepared to kill her, when the faint aura around her started to fade. He hesitated, his sword shaking. This was the crucial moment he needed. Her aura shot up in a split second and she had thrown Naraku's sword off to the side before he could even notice.

Katana stomped over to his mother, who was clutching the body of her husband in her lap. With her sword drawn out, she charged, a smirk flitted across her features. Naraku watched, frozen in horror as Katana changed, Hatu jumped in front, his sword out, and was skewered along with his mother in the stomach. Katana took out the sword, and plunged it in again. Naraku was petrified, and no one else seemed able to move either.

She pulled out the sword with a quick jerk and licked its tip. With that wild glint in her eye, she wasn't Katana. She was a ravaging, blood thirsty hanyou. Her aura was normally so powerful it had manage to cover up all her traces of being half human.

Ataru and Tori threw themselves at Katana with their swords drawn. It was really too bad that she was the best fighter out of them all. She took a stab to her right shoulder but kept her sword steady and whipped across Tori's head, slitting his throats instantly. Blood spurted. He crumpled.

Ataru charged again, fearing to look at him comrade's body. Katana manegd to dodge his sword enough so it went through her right shoulder again, but in the moment Katna managed to turn around, Ataru was decapitated.

Usagi and Kohaku cringed in the back round, clinging to each other, Kohaku's face marked by tears running down so hard and fast that there were three trails coming down from one eye. His memories had begun to come back to him, seeing all this blood once again. How he had slew his first family, and how now his second one was being killed before his eyes. He lost his home twice. Kohaku couldn't bring himself to rip his gaze away from the spurting blood and collapsing bodies of his adoptive parents. He couldn't. Through his frozen eyes, he watched as Naraku, across from him, stood up, shaking. He drew his barrier. Katana charged. Nothing changed. Naraku's barrier was as impenetrable as ever before. The bloodthirsty hanyou shot over the remains of the house, grabbed Kohaku in one swift, incomprehensible motion and pressed the sword to his throat. He was helpless over this mad power, and just thrashed around wildly.

_No..._Naraku whispered in his mind. He was tired, dirty, wet from the water splattered from the water spear when it moved abruptly._ Kohaku... wasn't supposed to do this to him. _He had brought him as a way to control the slayer, but in the end he had ended up controlling him instead. And now the sight of a sword at Kohaku's throat made him want to hurl. He really was evil, his conscious really had faded and died when the demons entered his body, but this...this feeling of protection from people close to him, maybe even villains had families? His brash actions in his love for Kikyou had drove him to be half demon, his thirst for power led him to kill her and play the drama with Inuyasha. The rest? The rest of the atrocities he had committed over the years...were just for amusement. He used to pride himself on this, he without a conscious. He without a feeling of guilt. He still didn't feel any guilt and the only remorse he felt was for the dead family infront of him. This family, it had brightened his life, felt like it was slowly purifying his sins, painful at times, but in the end, better. And now his parents...Hatu, with whom he had so many times to remember, Ataru the heroic one... Taru, the majestic one, whom he and Kohaku had tortured. Why did it always come back to him in the end? Kohaku...his smile wouldn't fade. After all he had went through...after all Naraku had deliberately put him through, it was a mystery to Naraku why he smiled at all. Perhaps he didn't remember his past? It was all his fault. He didn't deserve to do this to Kohaku. He took his first family from him, put him through so much misery, then played older brother to him? What would he say if he found out? That his older brother, his partner in torturing for fun, was the first one doing this to him? The things he didn't even know happen to him? The reason why when he , Naraku was careless, Kohaku had nightmares of him killing his family with his weapon, the reason, he froze in position when a painful long lost memory came back to him... he shouldn't do this. Kohaku was the only one who had managed to bring out his long dead concious, and it was for his case alone.

0000000000000000000000

Kagome and Sesshomaru, both wandering the corridors frantically, came to sudden halt when they met each other. With matching expressions... (ok, maybe not so much...Sesshomaru is stoic)

"Feeling in-"

"pit of stomach..."

"the goddamn-"

"MINION!"

Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Kouga, watching from afar, shook their heads. "They change their bodies so much now they even think alike..." Sango commented.

"Yep. Next thing we know Kagome will be trying to steal Tetsuiga from Inuyasha!" Miroku laughed. Inuyasha put him hand over Tetsuiga protectively, cracking Miroku up further.

"Wait a second...hey, mutt...how long has it been exactly since Sesshomaru had tried to steal your sword?" Kouga asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Not after he...I learned to use it properly."

"Or he showed you." Miroku said slowly, earning many confused glances.

Sesshomaru shot them an annoyed glance. _NOW they figure it out. Humans...(halfbreeds and wolves)...are very slow in some aspects._

"And maybe...Sesshoamru will be the one Kougas running after..." Sango said slyly, making Inuyasha fall over in laughter, and Kouga fall too, in shock. "What the-?"

"Oh come on! He has really pretty hair..." Sango said grinning.

Miroku put his arm around her and leaned in closer to her face. She looked him unabashedly in the eyes. "My my, you make it sound like your the one in love with him..hmn Sango?" Miroku fell over promptly a second later, a angry slayers hand on his throat.

"Ok...break it up!" Inuyasha said as he picked up Sango like a misbehaving cub, by the collar and put her to the side.

Miroku flopped over and tried to breathe. "I thank you for that Inuyasha." he wheezed in relief, while Sango fumed at the side.

Kouga, now over Sango's...RIDICULOUS remark, ran over to the taiyouki and miko. "You guys...have GOT to stop doing that!" he huffed.

"Do-" Sesshomaru began.

"-what?" Kagome asked, although she knew perfectly well what he was thinking.

"FINISHING EACH OTHER'S SENTENCES!"

"Do we-" Kagome began.

Sesshomaru smirked and played along. "-really?"

Kouga turned around and wept tears of exasperation.

000000000000

Naraku balked. There was a water spear twisted around his body, not giving room to make his barrier nor his tentacles or such. Not that he had enough energy for his tentacles right now...and a sword pointed at his throat. He was too tired to try anything. His tricks, his illusions, nothing would work on Katana anyways. Kohaku was wounded, but alive, and Usagi, strong as he was, was still a child who couldn't move with the shock of everybody's murder so suddenly.

Katana smirked maliciously. She ran her sword through her hair to clean it, leaving her hair bloody with his family's blood, not that it showed, red on red. Her sword, now only wet with water, plunged Naraku through the heart.

His breath halted in mid inhale. "Ungh..." he groaned and his head slumped. Katana smiled widely, sickeningly, and observed Naraku as a young child would a new toy, his dark blood seeping through his clothes and staining her fingertips and pointing the tips of hair that bent over her back to reach Naraku's chest.

I...I'm...dead. Naraku thought in the last few seconds. But as quick as light, he was saw a flash of something through his eyes and white translucent ugly bunny jumping into his body from behind.

000000000000

"Huhh..." Kagome paused in the middle of the the feeling of falling. She shook her head and opened her eyes. They were still here eyes, and the hands feeling her face were also hers. "We're...not changed." she said in confusion. Beside her Sesshomaru nodded. " I think something might have happened to the minion."

"What the hell?" Inuyasha yelled as a bright red beam shot up from outside the castle's walls.

"Hurry!" Miroku picked up his staff and began running towards the light. He had just felt this black wave of dark aura pooling over the area, and now this red light. It HAD to be something.

Kagome jumped on Inuyasha's back, Miroku and Sango ran and leaped on a transformed Kilala, and Sesshomaru shook his head. These guys were SOOOO ready for the call. It looked like this practiced this a million times...which they probably did, but did it for battle.

Sheesh...

"It's the minion!" Kagome yelled excitedly as they dawned on the scene. _Ouch, don't yell so loud in my ear..._

They came to a halt, Sesshomaru reaching a standing position later then the others, and also closer to the minion. There was a red light coming from the middle of his forehead... and it seemed to be twisting in pain. It's muscles convulsed as it shook, bending every way it could. There was a ominous smell to top it off...like that of wild berries and death. The wild berries could also be the minion's last meal though...

Sorai came running up, her fan in front of her, a second later. "So it is...the minions being used!" she said. Heads turned to look at her. She looked sick, sweating crazily, even though she was only a minutes run from where they were in the castle. That much of a run shouldn't make her break a sweat... she tore her eyes away from the minion, avoiding it, as if it were hurting her to stare at that light. The blinding bright light. Maybe that's why she wasn't looking.

"Naraku's using the minion life source!" She clarified.

Inuyasha froze in place. "H-h-he's dead?!"

"No. He would be if it weren't to be for this minion. Right now he's taking it's life and coming back!" she said quickly, looking to Sesshomaru fro instructions.

"Damn it." Inuyasha swore. _You could have stayed dead...saved me the trouble..._

Kagome giggled, then fell off Inuyasha's back, she was laughing so hard. Damn...

Sango ran over to her, and Inuyasha just stared at her weirdly. "Uh...Kagome, if you're not feeling alright, you can stay here." He offered.

"Nop!" She said cheerily. "I'm good." She got up, brushing her skirt off and smiled.

Sorai whispered to Sango on the side. "Do you think she's well enough to make her won decisions?"

"No telling..." Sango shrugged. That just cracked Kagome up further. _They really thought she had lost her mind, didn't they? Heh...she would probably think too so if Sesshomaru acted this way...cracking up for no reason._ After her second laugh attack, she climbed on Inuyasha's back. "I'm good to go!" she cheered. Inuyasha looked at her and groaned.

_Ok...maybe that was TOO cheery..._she thought apprehensively.

Sesshomaru groaned to match Inuyasha. _You've got that right._

_I hope I do._

_Lets not waste any time. Get going!_ Kagome nodded to no one in general (as it looked to the rest of them) and dug her bare heels (she had been running around barefooted) into Inuyasha's sides. "Giddy up horsey!" and flapped two strands of hair from the back like one would with a rein.

He gave a 'shouldn't-you-be-in-a-mental-hospital?' look from below. "Oh..um...yeah. Lets go Inuyasha!" she yelled. _Just trying to cheer you all up, and you look at me like I'm mental..._

He sighed and started running, everyone else keeping pace. _Sheesh...the stuff I do for you Kagome..._

_I think Kagome-sama's gone a bit...off._ That was definitely Miroku.

_Is Kagome alright? _

_Stupid miko. Trying to cheer people up by acting mental isn't helping any..._

_I wonder why Kagome starts laughing like that..._

_Kagome...I'm glad she doesn't call me horsey when she rides on me... maybe I should be wary of those kicking feet too..._

She giggled again, earning her another weird glance Inuyasha. _Just WHAT had gotten into you?_ She should be the one thinking that. _Did someone slip something into her lunch? Like aske in her water or something...but then she would be doing worse things...like she did when they all were on the infected water._

_ah...that brought back memories...wait a second...why was she relishing in the memories of the past? She wasn't getting old was she?! Ahh!_

_What exactly was wrong with her? _Something huge apparently. Maybe everyone's serious mood was getting to her.

000000000000

"UP UP AND AWAY!" Kagome cheered. Inuyasha, the adorable, smart genius, gave her a weird look. "What's gotten into you?"

"WE'RE FLYING!"

"We've done this before." Sesshomaru calmly stated, steering the cloud they were.

"Yeah, I know...but live the moment, ya know? so...I'M FLYING!!" she shouted at the top of her voice.

"Something tells me Kagome isn't well..." Sango whispered to Sorai. "I think so too."

Kagome ignored them and continued screaming her lungs out. "OH...I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD...with uh...lots of other people..." she added sheepishly.

000000000000

Oooohh...they're up for it big now. I hope you liked it, and tell me how my scenes are, especially the serious ones!

So, now the story is actually moving. Wow. I got the feeling that this story should end now...(they have been WAY too many filler chapters) and so...this is it. GIVE ME FEEDBACK!

There are many reasons for the delay in this chapter...I apologize. Even though Ihad it written out beforehand (I have the entire story completed)PLEASE forgive me. 1. traveling halfway around the world 2. jetlag 3. relatives 4. lack of internet facilties 5. yeah, my second laptop not adjusting to what work I did on the first one...and intenet not adjusting to first...etc. You get my point...I wasn't lazing off!


	44. Chapter 44

Naraku's Mind Games

"Hurry..." Kagome whispered to Inuyasha. "We have to get to naraku soon!" they were following the light that had darted form the minion's body and was now flying at it's own speed. Thankfully, Sesshomaru had managed to match it's speed with all of them on his cloud.

"I have...a gut feeling about this if nothing else." Sango said mainly to herself. Admist the apprehensive atmosphere, everyone turned to her, then turned back, bacause they had realized that they were feeling it too. The gut feeling that tells you when something's going to happen...

000000000000

Katana sat down crosslegged and surveyed her sword with an air of curiousity. Usagi was pale, paler then usual, his long slivery blond hair falling infront over his face and shoulders and mingling with his tears. "Naraku..." he whimpered a bit, afraid of attracting the attention of a blood thirstym katana. "H-he's dead..." he realized with shock as he kneeled over naraku. I'm sorry. He thought. I'm sorry for being so mean to you. He slowly carwled back to where kohaku was, the only one besides him and katana who was still breathing.

"Kohaku...kohaku!" he called softly, shaking kohaku's shoulders. He had been thrown by katana headfirst into the ground, and was uncincious. Hopefully he didn't hit any rocks on the way...

"Kohaku! Why aren't you waking up?!" he said, shaking him more vigeruosly. A few more tears made their ways past his long eyelashes and dropped down on the dirt. Kohaku stirred. Usagi covered his eyes. He didn't need to see his big brother dead as well. Kohaku was his best friend, and usagi would go any leanhgts to protect him. "What a-are you doing...Usagi?" kohaku asked weakly. Usagi cast a glance at katna who was still examining the blood on her sword, and whispered. "Kohaku, we have to get out of here. Right now. This is too dangereous." and he slung Kohaku lightly over his back and slowly began crawling to the shrubery, right now the place nearest of saftey.

_Slowly...queitly...don't notice me Katana-chan...just go on with your sick fascicnation...YOU TRAITOROUS BI&T!_ he screamed in his mind. Seeing as he hadn't the power to do anything else, this was the only thing he felt secure doing.

Kohaku grunted on his back. _Hang on Kohaku...I just have to get you to saftey then I'll look at your wounds. _

With this he continued his treacherously slow crawl, praying all the while that Katana wouldn't get up after them.

000000000000

"Shh...Sesshomaru...Kouga, Sorai? Is that blood?" Inuyasha qestioned, his nose scrunched to try and get a better smell while on sesshomaru's cloud. They nodded grimly. The red beam travelling beside them seemed to be glowing brighter.

000000000000000000000

Katana got up after thoughly inspecting the blood on her sword. She threw a glance over the remains of the house, and the bloody remains of its late inhabitiants. Then she glanced up by a tree about ten minutes walk away, and saw her master. Altough she wouldn't submit to him in her blood thirst, she still recognised him.

Hakudoushi smiled back at her. So she had mananged to kill Naraku...

but to fully repay the debt that Naraku had inflicted on him by killing everyone he had, he would have to do the same. That meant the two left, the ones Katana was too sickingly fascinated with blood to notice, were to be killed.

000000000000

Usagi panted hard. When after about an hour's worth of painfully slow crawling, he finally came to a rest, Kohaku flipped over from his back. They could still see Katana, and at top running speed this was barely three minutes, but at least they had some cover now. Usagi crept over to Kohaku, who was moaning and clutching his head. "Owwwie..."

Usagi sqatted down beside him and began to inspect Kohaku's head. "Damn Kohaku... you didn't have to fall so hard!" he whipsered hoarsely. He tore off the sleeve of his hakama with his teeth and bound it around Kohaku's head. "Damn...Shit..." Kohaku cursed when the cloth pressed a numb spot.

"Kohaku. You're bleeding from the head, and we're in a real fix right now, and all you think of doing is swearing?" he demanded, trying to appear like he was joking. Kohaku, of course, saw right through it. A new idea slowly dawned on his horizen. "Usagi...where's everyone else?" Usagi turned around. He had hoped that Kohaku would just forget about them for a little longer.

"K-katana-chan went into a hanyou bloodlust and..."

Kohaku's worst fears had been confirmed. "Tell me what happened to them!" he yelled.

"Shh...we'll be found out. She k-killed...them all." Usagi said the last with a sob. He was too young to see anyone dead yet, nor to kill anyone! He was useless...and now instead of comforting Kohaku and protecting his best friend, he was crying too. Pathetic.

He wiped the tears from his face, making it dirty as well his hands.Turning to face Kohaku, who was in shock, all the thoughts of fighting back fled. He couldn't fight. He wasn't made for fighting. Kohaku was stuck in place, frozen at the thought of everyone...his everything... Usagi threw out his arms and leapt on to Kohaku, hoding him as the horrible truth sank in.

000000000000

"We're here. Now everyone, quiet." Sorai ordered as they dismounted, seeing as Sesshomaru was silent. "I don't recall giving you permission to give orders, Sorai."Sesshomaru said coldly, narrowing his eyes down on her. He lowered her head. "No, my lord." the last flight had really used up pleanty of his energy and put him in a bad mood...

Kagome leapt off inuyasha's back ran over to Sesshomaru and slapped him on the back with as much strength as she could muster. She smiled a wide, fake smile. "Now, we don't need you getting all lordy on us, now do we...hmn?" _SHUT THE HELL UP! _She screamed in her mind.

_Why? She isn't in incharge here._

_Neihter are you. Your making her nervous._

_Why do you care?_

_Why? Well...I like Sorai, and I hate to let lovers quarrel like that._

_Lovers? Which part of your warped mind came up with that idea?_

_The one that knows the truth. Now shut up and apologise._

_Apologise? I think not._

_I think so. Or else I will fluffy you to eternity._

_In yur dreams. We are here in a predictment, and all you care right now-_

_APPLOGISE!_

_No. _

_Do it._

_I said no._

_I said I will make you if you don't of your own will._

_She forgot all about it! Read her mind, she isn't even thinking of that now._

And truly she wasn't but Kagome wasn't going to let Sesshomaru off the hook easily. _Aplogise, or else._

_Or else?_

_I'll tell Inuyahsa about the huge dressing room in your room full of makeup, hair and skin stuff._

Sesshomaru was at a loss here. _How? What?_

_We went there to give you your earplugs...remember?_

_Then Inuyahsa already knows._

_Nop. He was high off perfume. Rin tolf me too. She also told me how fluffy your tail is and that you let her sneak into your room at the dead on night when she has a nightmare. You really are sweet, you know that?_

_Shuddup._

He cleared his throat. "Sorry, Sorai. You people are heavy and hard to carry."

She looked up, clearly surprised. The rest looked on, clearly at a loss of what to do. He was apologising. Freaky if you ask me.

She nodded and shrugged it off. As she opened her mouth to say something more, she was interuppted by miroku saying, "No! Wait, sango!"

They all turned to see Sango venturing into the thicket with her boomerang at the ready.

Kouga lifted his nose into the air. "Weird...all I can smell is water and earth. I can't even get any of your scents unless I'm this close." he showed a puny amount with his fingers.

"Something is definently up." Inuyahsa confirmed.

"Oh no, dear brother, we just happened to travel, all ready for battle with naraku with this strange red light over who knows how much distance for no apparent reason!" Sesshomaru drawled sacrastically.

"Keh. As if." He shot back.

"As cute as I find your little brotherly affection quarrels, now's not the time." Kagome cut them both off. She pointed to Sango, who was still advancing away from them. Kouga nodded briefly. "Yes, kagome, your right. At least I agree unlike some OTHER vermin here." He shot a look to Inuyasha as he grabbed her hands and kneeled. "Kagome. My love, I will follow you into hell!" he proclaimed loudly, grinning wolfishly. (no pun intended)

Sesshomaru turned to inuyasha and taunted, "What's wrong little brother? A little shocked? Maaayyybe bacuse you remember you promising the EXACT same thing to someone else? Hmn?"

Inuyasha's sweat dropped. Kagome, already ticked off from the lack of attention everyone was showing, more so ever from Kouga hitting on her, and even more at the mention of the same promise inuyasha made to Kikyou, was fuming. With one fluid side motion, **WHACK!** And Kouga was on the ground with Kagome holding her bow above him. "Anyone else?" She asked dangerously. "Oh...um..no we're good!" Inuyasha and Miroku echoed, and Sesshomaru shot her another dirty glance.

"Good! Now we can get going!" Kagome grabbed Sorai and led after Sango.

Leaving some very traumatized demons. (two demons, one hanyou and one lecherous monk)

"Women can be scary." Inuyasha piped up.

"Ahh...but that's all in their beauty." Miroku said.

"MY WOMAN ISN'T SCARY! She's just...fiesty." Kouga said from the ground.

Sesshomaru, for the umpteenth time since they found the minion being used; found himself giving a dirty look.

00000000000000000000000000

"How..." Kohaku was too shocked to complete his sentence as he felt his best friend hug him and sob into his shoulder. Slowly, the truth dawned on him. "Is...Naraku?" he felt a jerk from his side, which was actually a nod from Usagi.

Slowly his hands found their way to Usagi's shoulder. He pushed him off enough to see his face, as said with as much courage as he muster, "Now's not the time usagi. We have to go back and get them. And get Katana out of her blood lust. It isn't her fault. She didn't do it on purpose." He said, even though his voice betrayed the brave words. Usagi got up and wiped his has tears on the sleeve of the hakama, "Your right, Kohaku. I'm just being...stupid."

kohaku looked up to see a new light of determination in eyes, and knew that usagi would help him.

000000000000

Sango crept closer to the bush. The one she was looking for. Yes, she was looking for a bush. And she also suspected herself of being a mental patient. But to be exact it was not the bush she had seen from afar, but had actually caught a glimpse of cloth...she didn't know if she would regret this or not...it could be trap after all, but then again they were close to naraku, so it could be something that would be worth coming across.

She glanced back. They were still quite far from her, maybe she ought to wait for them? BUT... A few steps couldn't hurt and it would let her see what was, if anything, was behind the bush. It would at least put an end to her curiosity. She a tentive step closer, keeping her eyes fixed on the bush, lest something, like an oversized gerbil dressed in a ballfrock or something jump out at her.

0000000000000000

"Right. Just let...me rest a bit." Kohaku whispered as he leaned against the tree root. "My head...still hurts." He said, almost nodded off.

Usagi sat by him, determined to keep patrol while Kohaku regained his strength. Forget that. A flat three minutes later, his head drooped as he slowly lowered himself into sleeping positon, ending up with his head on Kohaku's chest.

0000000000000000000

Sango silently crept around and peered at the bushes, her boomerang held with one hand and the other on her katana hilt.

With a gasp and yelp, the next moment saw her running and holding onto the nearest person, happening to be Miroku. She buried her face in her hands in a dry sob. "Sango-chan? What's wrong?" The not-so-holy monk asked, looking down at her.

ONE MINUTE LATER

SLAP! "YOU STUPID PERVERT!" and Sango ran to the next closest person, now happening to be Kouga.

"Er...I already promised Kagome..." he trailed off helplessly, looking back and forth from Sango to Kagome. One punch and kick later, kouga had joined Miroku on the floor. Sango cursed. "Damn can't you even provide some comfort? I just saw the scariest thing ever, and now you guys...!?" she sobbed into Kagome's shoulder, who was torpeedo-ing VERY dirty glances at Miroku and Kouga.

Kagome patted her on the back. "Now, now. Tell me what's wrong!" she said. Sango was too busy being horrifed to think clearly. It made no sense, and just gave Kagome a headache to try and read her thoughts.

_I hate this. I hate cute Kohaku's who look like pretty nine year old girls and trees. I hate trees. Now I know why sorai hates trees. I REALLY HATE NARAKU. All trees are minion's of Narakus. We should murder all Narakus. And all trees. Especially ones with Kohakus leaning against. And that monk. Houshi sama is going to die. Very very soon. But untl then, I HATE TREES, NARAKU, HOUSHI, MONKS, AND...AND...TREES!!_

Kagome patted her on the back again and promptly shut off all thoughts from Sango's direction.

"There...there...was K-k-kohaku." she stuttered over the name even though the sobbing phase was long over.

"Kohaku?" Inuyasha asked, emerging form the shadows to which he had taken refuge in with Sesshomaru when they saw Sango runnning back looking for something to hug.

She nodded. "Uhhuh. He was there...sleeping..."

"So?" Inuyahsa asked.

"Just look for yourself!" She said and crept there slowly, clearly not wanting to go back. Kagome kept pace with her, with Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Sorai behind them, and Mirkou, and Kouga, still brushing themselves off, in the back.

Sango and kagome dawned on the scene. Sango screeched, "He's hurt!" and began to crouch by him. She stroked the hair out of his sleeping eyes. "Kohaku..." she whispered.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group had caught up. With one of them looking throughly uncomfortable (ready to attack), the in a fighting pose, the third stotic as usual, and the last with a perverted smile, also as usual, they looked on.

"Sango...who's the girl?" Miroku, asked with his not-so-innocent look placed firmly in place. "And why is she asleep with Kohaku?"

Inuyahsa turned away, but not before whispering a warning to Miroku. "Your going to regret that, monk..."

Sango stood up and asked. "DO YOU THINK I CARE!? HE'S HURT RIGHT NOW!" Miroku cringed. An echo came. "I told you sooo..."

"She is a bit young..." Sesshomaru admitted quietly.

Sango tunred to him. "HE'S HURT RIGHT NOW! I DON'T CARE! SHE'S PROBABLY ONE OF NARAKU"S MINIONS!!" Sesshomaru gave a stare. "I meant too young to fight us if she's one of Naraku's minions."

She stared back. He increaed the intesity of the stare. She braved it on. Kagome jumped in the middle. "Now now...guys, we don't you guys killing each other, now do we?"

"Easy for you to say!" Sorai and Inuyahsa said, both holding onto to the warring parties. "Ok, maybe they do. But now's not the time. You can murder each other later!" She chirped happily.

"Alright alright, Inuyahsa get off me." Sango grumbled, and Sesshomaru grunted to Sorai, who had her barrier on.

"Waaaait a second!" inuyahsa scratched his head. "Why am I holding you to make sure you don't kill HIM? Go ahead! You'll be doing me a favor!" he concluded.

"Sit." There went that logic.

"Hm...usagi? What are you doing?" Everyone tunred at once kohaku, who had woken up and was adressing his best friend.

"Kohaku!" sango gushed as she leapt to hug him. "Your hurt!"

"And awake." kouga commented. Kohaku gave him a cold glare. "It would be hard to sleep with strangers standing and screaming their heads off infront of you." he muttered. Sango only tightened her grip, causing Usagi's head to roll off, therefore waking him.

She pulled out her Katana and pointed it at usagi's throat. "Who are you?" she snarled, Kohkau still helplessly caught in a hug.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? Kohaku, do know these people?" Usagi yawned, calmly waving away the sword.

"Let go woman!" Kohaku pushed himself away and stood by Usagi. "Hey...wait a second! These are the people that...Naraku used to swap!" realization dawned on him. At the sound of Naraku's name, everyone tensed.

"Naraku? Kohaku...are you still with him? Don't you remember me?" Sango asked, her face a look of hope.

"I know you only from the eyes of the minion." He responed, wondering why the hope on her was suddenly shattered. "I'm...your sister...Kohaku." she said, her face now downcast.

"Sister? I have no sister." he drew his katana, and nudged Usagi behind him. Hearing a short yelp, he turned back to see inuyahsa picking Usagi up between forfinger and thumb and sniffing him. "Who are you, little girl?"

Usagi could feel the anger mounting. "I AM A GUY! GET IT INTO YOUR THICK SKULLS!"

Inuyahsa just nodded and said, " I was wondering why you didn't smell like one..."

Sango let out a sigh of relief. A good thing I don't have to worry anout that at least...

Next inuyasha picked up Kohaku, kicking and yelling. Shaking him around a bit, he scolded. "You know what? I've had enough of your shinanigans. Stop worrying Sango. Remember her, and be over with, sheesh!" with another resolute shake, he dropped them both. Kohaku sprung back up, his katana drawn. "Don't be so harsh Inuyasha!" Miroku and Kagome called simultanouesly.

Sango reached over and grabbed Kohakau's shoulder. "Kohaku. Try to remember. Please."

Usagi snorted. "look. We don't know who you all are. We've only seen you a few times, and not even up face, so why you don't bugging kohaku, and either fight us, or go away!"

"That's a blunt way of putting it.." Sorai commented, earning a nod from Sesshomaru.

"Forget that right now!" Kouga pointed at the sky, where there seemed to be a huge spear like thing made of water rising high above the treetops, glinting and glimmering in the sunlight.

"Damn!" kohkau cursed, much to Sango's surprise. "You curse, Kohaku?" She asked unbeleivingly.

"Uh-oh. Kohaku, I say we go now." Usagi said, taking on a determined pose.

"Remind me again, WHY are we here if they're going to take all the action?!" Kouga asked, now drawng doodles in the dirt.

"GET UP!" Inuyahsa yelled and ran after Usagi and Kohaku, grabbing kagome by the shoulder and slinging her like a backpack while on the run. CRACK.  
"Uh-oh...Kagome are you alright? Please don't die!" Inuyasha whimpered as he held Kagome in his arms after in an attempt to sling her went bad, resulting in her head bashing against a nearby tree at full speed.

Sango and Kouga rushed over. "Kagome! Wake up!"

"IN-U-YASHA!"

"YOU STUPID MUTT! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO HER!" they both thundered, murder in their eyes. Kagome stirred slightly.

"Kagome, are you alright? Plase be alright. I'm sorry!" the concerned hanyou whispered.

"Sit."

"Damn Inuyahsa! I'm not a backpack!" she said as she struggled to get up, aided by both Kouga and Sango.

"your not? You look like one." the taiyouki present said with a smirk.

"do you want me to fluffy you t- er...that wasn't intended...goumen!" she said sheepishly.

"Miko... prepare to die." Sesshoamru threatened from the ground.

"OVER MY BODY!" Inuyasha yelled in retaliation, resulting in a lot of coughing when he realized he had just swallowed a few blades of grass and dirt.

"You're already on the ground. It doesen't take much to walk over you." Sesshomaru pointed out.

"Er..." Inuyasha tried to think up a comeback, ignoring sorai's giggles. "You guys can't take anything seriously can you?" Sango asked disapprovingly.

"It's alright mutt. I'll protect Kagome!" Kouga said, satnding infront of Kagome.

"Um...Kouga, your blocking my vision." she said with her hands on her hips. He shot her an apoligectic look. "Oh..sorry." he raised one foot to the side, when kagome poked him in the side. "Ouch! What are you doing?" he asked, holding his misused side.

"This." she responded by smiling a rin-ish smile and lightly runnning her fingertips down his side. He responded by falling down and gasping. "Don't! No! Sorry! Ticklish!"

Everyone else was dumbstruck. "Kouga's ticklish?" Miroku asked unbeleivingly.

"Yep!" replied his torturer. " Inuyasha is too. So is everyone else here, except for me and sesshomaru."

Sango shook her head. "Sesshomaru I'll believe, but you? I don't think so!" And began to ruthlessly tickle her on the neck.

"NO! STOP!"

Sesshoamru turned to Sorai. "Is it just me that notices how amazing it is that evertime we all get together, we manage to sucessfully do nothing the enitre time?"

she shook her head. "It's rather enjoyable."

Sesshoamru rolled his eyes. There went the last conversable (person who is worthy of having a conversation with) person here.

"PEOPLE!" a sudden screech from Miroku came.

"Now is not the time. Naraku, remember?" he hinted. _Wait a second...why am I being the smart one?_

_God knows why. _That was from Sesshomaru.

"Oh yeah! Naraku!" Inuyasha slapped himself on the head jokingly and raced off, but not before letting Kagome carefully climb on his back.

Shaking their heads in a long suffering manner, they followed.

00000000000000000000000000

how was that? Please tell me! I hope you liked it!

Ok, For the first time I've received a complaint. I appreciate the complaint, because this way I can actually improve my writing.

Boring and chapters too long...I agree with the boring a bit because these aren't supposed to be funny chapters... sorry.

And too long? Well, I've completed writing this story, if you want I can break up the chapters to last way past fifty, or like I have it right now, ending at 48. Please tell me and REVIEW SOON. Last time it took me a week to get five reviews, and then I got really sad and didn't even want to work on this story anymore. (editing etc.)

PLEASE PEOPLE!


	45. Chapter 45

Naraku's mind games

Usagi rose quietly with the tip of his head peeking up from the bushes. Katana was still in her blood lust, and the scene was still as bloody as when they left, the water shed occasionally by the spear she held making blood and water mixed puddles on the floor.

Kohaku rose got up beside him. "Nows our chance..." he whispered. Usagi acknowledged it with a grim nod. With an intense war cry, Kohaku threw his scythe at Katana. He wasn't meaning to hurt her, so he threw it too far, as only to get her tangled up in the bone chain.

She blocked it with her water spear; the water flowing up and down the thin outline. The scythe was stopped in its tracks disturbing the water a bit but then settling. Kohaku pulled it back , leaping to dodge the tip. It flew back, and Usagi, armed with his arm guards (the blades normally hidden under his white bandaging type things on his wrist), came up, running past her and slashed one across her shoulder. It got her. Usagi stopped in realization. This was the first time he had ever used a weapon except for the occasional sword. Normally rabbit demons didn't use anything, or at an extent only bow and arrows because of their speed. But since Usagi had more strength then speed, he had trained with spears.

This was also the first time he drew blood on another purpose...

He stood there, awestruck, torn between running away and striking again. Katana saw his hesitation and threw her sword like a arrow at him.

Kohaku watched, horrified, as the sword neared Usagi, who was still stuck in place.

"Usagi! Get out of the way!" he yelled. Usagi, unstuck by his words, widened his eyes as he saw the sword coming. He did a graceful back flip, over the sword, and grabbed it's handle from the other side. He smirked.

"Thank you, Katana for surrendering your weapon."

Kohaku breathed in relief. Katana's eyes reddened even more and she screamed with rage.

Usagi and kohlrabi whipped around as a bathing red light filled the area, to see the light surrounding Naraku, and then him rising into the air. Kohaku froze in shock. "N-Naraku...?"he whispered almost silently.

Usagi looked just as astounded. The red light was absorbed into his chest, and immediately, he stirred, still suspended by the remaining red light, now a pinkish color since it's main component was gone.

He stood up, on the pink platform made of light. He looked down and sneered, his lips curved cruelly up.

"I live for revenge." was all he said before dive dropping directly on Katana, his tenticles now emerging from underneath him. One lunged for Katana, but she dodged gracefully, flipped back over and stabbed it squarely with her water spear. It snarled and split away from the main body. As Katana turned on it and speared it through, another tentacle made to stab her in the back. She jumped way, but only to avoid it hitting her heart, instead it went straight through her right elbow area.

"Uh..." she groaned. Usagi, suddenly remembering that killing Katana wasn't their purpose, began waving his arms madly and shouting, "Stop Naraku! She isn't herself!"

Naraku only looked down and sneered. "Getting her out of her blood lust won't avenge everyone." and he prepared for a tentacle to spear Usagi, if he hadn't jumped away at the last moment. On the ground, he rolled over to see Katana's water spear jabbing where he was supposed to be.

_She was trying to kill me too...?_ the terrifying thought dawned on Usagi. Kicking himself mentally for trying to be hero by sacrificing himself, he grabbed the sword he had taken from Katana, and charged on Kohaku's cue. Katana turned to him, but he made a sharp hairpin bend and to Kohaku, and ran behind him. It took a few seconds for Katana to realize what was going on. Kohaku didn't waste precious gifts like that one. His scythe flew out of his hand, wrapping around Katana's shoulders. Kohaku pulled and cued for Usagi to charge now. Now that her attention was safely towards Kohaku, Usagi was easily able topple her over, knocking her off her feet with the sword hilt.

She sprung back up, branched the sword from Usagi and pointed it at his neck. His legs turned to jelly underneath him as he tried to move and found he was stuck.

Kohaku, on the other hand was shouting words of meaning to Naraku, who had only one chant. "Revenge is what I live for." he replied to every one of Kohaku's reasonings.

"Usagi!" Kohaku yelled, when he realized what was happening. Naraku took chance of the distraction and swept (flung) Kohaku into the trees. He went flying, high above the canopy tops.

Usagi looked on in horrified wonder, and gulped. A second later, though, a figure emerged from the spot Kohaku was thrown. A second of listening to his pounding heart later, Usagi realized with relief that it was Kouga, with the boy in his arms. Kouga smirked cockily, and yelled, "HEY! Leave the kids alone! I'm your enemy!"

Usagi eyed the tip of the sword at his throat. This battle was getting more confusing by the second. Naraku and Katana were trying to kill each other, Usagi and Kohaku were trying to get them to stop, only resulting in both the warring partied trying to kill them as well. On top of that, those other people from Naraku's childhood were here against Naraku, and Katana was trying to kill them 'cause she wanted to spill blood, and Naraku was their enemy. If they would kill Katana or not, he didn't know...sheesh.

He shook his head, his neck skin scraping against the tip of the blade. He had almost forgotten about that.

He looked up into Katana's eyes, blood red, but not without darks and lights. They were still starry, but now downturn into a cruel expression. Usagi stared back, fear present clearly in his eyes. He was too young to die. He was too young to kill or to witness blood shedding like this.

"Are you going to have all the fun?" Inuyasha asked Kouga, now in fierce battle with Naraku's many tentacles, darting out from the woods with Kagome on his back. _Damn Kouga, always taking the spotlight!_

"Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered, looking around the blood stained field at Naraku's mother, father and servants bodies, cruelly tossed to the side, all with gaping wounds somewhere. He shook his head grimly. _This...is horrible._

She didn't know who these people were, but the way they had been slaughtered alone was enough to get her miko powers in a rage. As Inuyasha leaped to a safe place for her, she flinched suddenly. "KAGOME!' he yelled. She looked down to see her hands glowing with blue miko energy (the color of miko energy in sadness induced anger), digging into his shoulder, beginning to purify through his haori.

"Kagoshima, do you want to purify me?!" he yelled in desperation. Kagome smiled sheepishly and pulled her hands back. She jumped off as soon as Inuyasha landed.

Usagi looked at Katana again. She was too busy to notice him, occupied with watching Inuyasha bring out his tetsuiga. Usagi stealthily tried to crawl away. Katana looked down at him and realized that he was now at least three feet form the tip of her sword. She looked back and forth from Usagi to Inuyasha, wondering which person to kill first. Deciding that Inuyasha would be better, she faced him, ignoring Usagi totally as he made his getaway.

Tossing her spear from hand to hand so fats it was a blur, she formed a whirlwind. Inuyasha smirked. Perfect! If Naraku wasn't going to attack with demon energy, then he could use hers and shoot it at him.

Seeing the scraping of Katana's whirlwind energy, he let it surround the tetsuiga, then in an instant, turned to Naraku and let all hell break loose. The normal gold energy of his backlash wave was a bluish tint today because of the water demon energy he was harnessing. It flew straight as an arrow towards Naraku's huge mass of tentacles. Naraku's eyes widened visibly. That was one hell of an attack, but hardly likely to take him out by it self. Good thing Kagome was stuck in place with her mouth opened at the sheer brightness of the tetsuiga.

He formed a slimy barrier with his tentacles lapping over other to protect his main body, all the protection he had against it. He couldn't form a barrier over his gigantic body mass, so he simply formed a plate like shield between his tentacle wall and himself.

Inuyasha panted hard, _there was no way his tetsuiga could break through all that and manage to kill Naraku too... _

Naraku's eyes widened with shock. He grunted softly, wondering what the hell had happened. Slowly, within his dimming vision, a figure with flying red hair and hellish eyes came into view, jumping out on his rear. He looked down. A spear was sticking out from his chest. How strange. In these few minutes of doubt, his barrier flickered and waned away, with his tentacles spitting and hissing in every direction in pain he felt. Clearing a path for the oncoming backlash.

It disintegrated its way through the mass now disorderly mass of tentacles, and reached Naraku. Its reflection raging brightly through his eyes, he fell limp, and the water spear returned to Katana's hand.

The tentacles slacked immediately and Inuyasha straightened. Kagome was awed. "Inuyasha...that was one hell of a wind scar!"

"Wait? It's over?!" Inuyasha was having a hard time believing Naraku was dead.

Katana, conveniently forgetting that they were there, calmly sat down and once again with an air of curiosity, examined her now bloodstained water spear.

Sesshomaru emerged from the forest. "Little brother, that was much too easy." he said, prodding at a tentacle close to him.

It stayed limp. "But there's the smell of death all over him!" Kouga protested from his place putting Kohaku down by a pale Usagi.

"Didn't he do this once before?" Sango asked, her and Miroku having just reached there, due to Kilala finding it hard to fly between trees.

"Yes, when even my wind tunnel disappeared!" Miroku completed. The rosary was taken off and the wind tunnel was there, as strong as ever.

"That means, he's not dead?" Inuyasha poked Naraku's fallen body.

"Er...Master Inuyasha, you shouldn't poke dead things like that!" a voice came. Inuyasha looked down in surprise. "Mioga? When did you get here?" Mioga crossed his arms and sighed. "Its a long story. You see when-" he was rudely cut off by Inuyasha, saying, "He really must be dead! 'cause Mioga's here...he has a danger sensor, you know!"

Mioga 'humphed. "I'm not sure I appreciate the-" he gulped. Before him stood Sesshomaru, in a dramatic heroic yet pretty ( for lack of better word) pose. His hair swished with the wind as he sheathed the sword he was holding out. Mioga gulped. _Demon blood...must have taste..._

Unable to control his glee, he jumped out, straight onto the path of Sesshomaru's nose. He didn't even get to it when he was swatted annoyedly by a palm. "You do remember, Mioga, what I warned you about last time when you tried sucking my blood?" he sneered coldly at the tiny flea floating down to earth.

_I think he goes into blood lusts too...just not the same kind the hanyous do. _Sesshomaru thought absentmindedly. He turned to end this battle once and for all with Katana. Approaching her, he drew his poison whip and surveyed her sitting figure. He seemed stuck in place, his hand which he had reached out to kill her with seemed stuck fast. A barrier, he realized. He jumped back just in time to see a remote gleam of green flash in a sphere around Katana.

_Damn, I can't get through. It seems she makes the same kind of infuriatingly impenetrable barriers like Naraku did..._

"So, what do you think we should do?" Sorai asked, shutting her fan and tucking it in her robes. "First, we have to bury these people. I know they're only demons and that ones a human" he pointed to Naraku's father, "But we just can't leave them lying around like this!" Miroku suggested.

"Your talking now?" Kohaku asked grumpily, already haven buried half the bodies. His face was tear tracked, as was Usagi's but his voice was unnaturally gruff.

Sango silently looked up from where she was sitting. _Kohaku...he seemed to like his second family. He didn't remember her. And...he was burying his other family, just as she had buried hers._ She got up solemnly, and walked over to where Kohaku and Usagi were hard at work. She see him clearly, now, the pained expression on his face when his eyes flitted across one of their faces. He shouldn't have to bury them, look at them. Without uttering a word, she calmly picked up the body (which happened to be Taru's) by the legs and carried it to the petite grave Usagi was digging. Kohaku looked up. _Why was this girl helping him? She didn't know him. She didn't even know Taru. Yet she seemed...sad. Why? Was she doing this for his sake?_

A flood of memories came back to him, how this girl always had the same grievous expression when she looked at him even in battle, how she refused to fight him, how she kept on calling 'brother'...

_Maybe...?_ _Naraku had told him that he was an orphan, and Naraku's parents had adopted him out of goodwill...but he never had any memories before that. Occasionally he went to errands for Naraku...and he had fought these people before, but he had always previously assumed that he must have had his reasons..._

_Why were they helping him then? Was it because he realized that Naraku was only after revenge now? _The vague memory of when Naraku had tried to stab him with a tentacle in his recent battle came back to him. _He would kill anyone to get revenge on Katana. Was this why they were helping him? Because Naraku was mindlessly killing to get revenge...that was just crazy though!_

_Who would kill more innocent people to get to one person who killed innocent people? That would leave you no less then the actual murderer!_

Casting his eyes to the ground, he had a feeling he had to this. In a soft spoken voice, heartfelt, "Thank you."

Sango's eyes flitted up in astonishment. A single tear dropped down, more out of sudden relief then anything else. _Kohaku...he didn't hate her. _For some odd reason she had dreaded this time, when she would meet him only to find out that he didn't remember her, and because she was an enemy of Naraku, he hated her as well.

She screwed her eyes shut. _He didn't hate her...but he didn't remember her either. _She could wait, or just build memories with him as her little brother anew. There was no need to rush. Naraku was gone.

She nodded, keeping her face down and concentrated on carrying the deceased to the grave.

"Soooooo...should we just sit back here and watch the soap opera?" Inuyasha asked, leaning back calmly against a tree in a casual tone. Sango, Sorai, and Kagome at once shot him withering glares, Sesshomaru sighed hopelessly, and Shippo and Kouga echoed, "He's never going to learn is he?"

"Sit boy." CRASH

"That was, my dear friend Inuyasha, ENTIRELY your fault. You don't have to be so insensitive." Miroku lectured Inuyasha, who was now lying face first in the dirt.

"Really, Inuyasha. You could have learned some people skills from ME at least, and you know very well how good I am with people, another reason Kagome loves me m-"

"-Want."

"I suppose you are having a lot of fun just randomly interrupting people's conversations with you damn subjugation spells, aren't you, mi-"

"-Fluffy."

"I sure am glad I don't have a necklace, that way every time I try something on Sango I would be-" he gulped, and taking a punch, promptly fell to the ground.

"Ah...I remember why I don't have a necklace. Kagome packs one hell of a punch!" he rolled over on his back.

"You three are stupid. After seeing that Kagome was in a bad mood, you still go and make her mad!" Inuyasha commented, putting his chin under his hand.

"I wasn't trying..." Kouga said hoarsely.

"Stupid miko gets mad at everything!" Sesshomaru complained.

"Figures you would say, not loving her the way I do!" Kouga spouted off some more romantic lines.

"WANT. Kouga, keep your mouth shut, or I'll w-a-n-t until you can't move." a threat came from afar.

"Who said I even LIKED her?" Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow.

"Both of, you shut up." Inuyasha said, irritated at still not being able to move.

"So...what's happening?" Miroku tried small talk.

"You too. Shut up." he said stingily.

"You all are just in a bad mood! Let us get up and enjoy the fullness of life! Look the birds are singing, three girls are in front of us, the trees are green, the girls are pretty, the wind is blowing, there are three beautiful girls..." Miroku suggested.

"Houshi, if you don't stop trying to poison those thankfully un-perverted people's minds, this boomerang is coming after your good for nothing ass!"

He gulped.

"As I said before, women are scary." Inuyasha consoled the scared Miroku. _Really scary..._

"Vicious." Miroku offered.

"Some of them..." Kouga admitted.

"Notice why I'm single?" Sesshomaru asked rhetorically.

They all looked uncomfortably in the distance. He sighed. "You all are hopeless. Hopeless and in love. Making you even more pathetic."

Kouga and Miroku didn't even deny it, it was Inuyasha who flushed and stuttered, "W-what? I'm perfectly fine thank you."

Miroku glared, Kouga looked slightly relieved, and Sesshomaru gave him a withering glare. _Stop lying for once, little brother. Sheesh, it gets annoying..._

"Will you quit lying around and do something useful?" Sorai asked, hands on her hips.

"Like we're trying to just lie here!?" Kouga complained back.

She sighed. "Kagome, get these guys off the ground!" she called over her shoulder.

"Sorai, they're stuck to it themselves. Not my fault. If you want to peel them off, go ahead, but they deserved it and I'm not going to even try." came her reply.

Sorai sighed and bowed her head a bit. "See ya guys when you get off the ground. Toodles!" She waved the back of her hand as she turned away.

"See? I told you women were evil." Sesshomaru lectured his logic.

"You say it like you have a lot of experience..." Inuyasha muttered.

"You have no idea, mutt." Kouga muttered back with shifty eyes avoiding Sesshomaru's glare.

"Am I the only one feeling left out?" Miroku asked himself. Sesshomaru closed his eyes. _Why on earth he was stuck with THEM he had no idea. He had committed no sin this great to require punishment by these fools company. Unless you call all the villages he murdered, the people he had murdered...and uh...countless other cases of manslaughter?_

_Why was his mind working against him anyways? He was a DEMON. It's what they do. They couldn't blame him._

"No idea of what?" Inuyasha asked. "He never had a girlfriend when I lived with him."

"I've been to his castle loads of times, being the prince of the wolf demon tribe that lives in his lands...I have to go there for ceremonies and stuff." a grin crossed his face and seeped into his voice. "Over my lifetime of knowing him, he's had at least 600 plus girlfriends...but then again considering how OLD he is, that isn't much..."

Sesshomaru glared at Kouga. D_amn lying wolf. He was never interested in women. He only had one, ONE other girl he liked before, and she, falling prey to a fight, was killed before he even had a chance to like her properly. Needless to say her killers had been poison whip-éd._

_Of course, he was so pretty he always a number of women lusting over his looks... it was a very good thing he wasn't quite as perverted as his father..._

_Aren't we a little too self assured of nonexistent beauty?_

_Hark who's talking. What did you think when you saw me?_

_I'm a hopeless teenager. You can't blame me. _

_He shook his head. _

_You say that Inutashio was a pervert?_

_Where do you think Inuyasha came from?_

_I didn't think that..._

_Izayoui got married to my father after a very long spell of them seeing each other..._

_Miroku and him would have been best friends..._

_You can say that again._

_Mirkou and him would have been best friends._

_Why are you saying that again? I heard you the first time._

_You said to say it again... _seeing Sesshomaru groan loudly made Kagome smirk.

Kagome straightened. There. It was done, the bodies were buried. Normally Inuyasha and Miroku would not let the girls touch them and bury them, but they were busy kissing the dirt, and Sango wanted to spend time with Kohaku, so they hadn't intervened.

She glanced up at her older sister. She was sitting in the shade, watching Kohaku and Usagi sit together. Sango smiled slightly. It seemed that Kohaku had found himself a best friend. There was a silence between the two, yet it was perfectly clear from the slightly grievous spaced out expressions, that both of them were thinking of their families. Refusing to cry again.

Kagome walked over to Sango and plopped down beside her. Sango spoke unpredictably. "Kohaku...he liked these people. And he found himself a friend." Kagome nodded and yanked Sango's long brown hair a bit. She yelped and turned to her. Kagome smiled. "Kohaku...don't worry about him."

Sango nodded silently. She had no reason to worry. Naraku was gone and Kohaku had plenty of time to remember her. Stilt, when she thought about what she had to do, it made her terribly sad. She to take out his jewel shard...and set him free.

Kohaku's sudden yell startled them all. Turning their heads towards the commotion, they caught another eyeful of red light, this time emanating out of Usagi's forehead area. The place, Kohaku remembered in one heart stopping memory of surprise, where Naraku had placed his fingers...after Kohaku held him down. If Naraku were to take his life...and him knowing that he helped catch Usagi in the first place...he would never forgive himself. _Please let it only be the spell of Naraku's power on Usagi breaking...he prayed as hard as he could._

"What?" cried Usagi, unable to see the light of yet. He got up and ran to the nearest puddle of water, about a good thirty feet from where he and Kohaku were reflecting.

Staring into in the murky water, he cursed. The water was stained with blood and dirt, he couldn't even vaguely see his reflection.

"Usagi! W-what's happening to you?!" Kohaku yelled. Usagi jumped up when he could suddenly see the red light began filtering out from under his forehead bangs.

"He's being taken for Naraku's life!" Miroku cried out in disbelief. _He was a minion too?_

Kohaku got up so fast he was dizzy. Not bothering to regain his balance, he broke out in to a sprint, tripping over his own feet in his haste all too often. He lurched forward, but temporarily regained his balance enough to roughly stumble by Usagi, who was currently frozen in shock. He could barely see the lights dimmest rays, but it was enough for him to realize which event was unfolding.

"Usagi..." Kohaku said, drawing his best friends attention.

" You're...being used..." Kohaku felt bile rising in his throat. Naraku would take another life, FOR REVENGE?! He couldn't take Usagi! Usagi was his best friend! The best friend in the who wide world. His friend.

He wouldn't forgive anyone who hurt him. And now, he was being used...and he had helped make him a minion in the first place! He hated himself with such ferocity, along with the mere thought to Usagi dying, bringing sparkling tears to the corners of his eyes.

"Usagi...I'm sorry...I h-h-helped him..." he wailed, sitting on his knees by Usagi.

"Hurry! Someone, kill Naraku again!" Miroku shouted suddenly. If Naraku was using him, then stabbing his body would cause the child's soul to go back to him...right?

Sesshomaru flew up from the place he was resting. Drawing his whip, he crackled it on Naraku's body. They hadn't bothered burying that this yet, assuming it would disintegrate itself. The poison whip hissed and spat, spreading deadly corrosive poison acid all over Naraku's body, eating away at the flesh. Sesshomaru glanced over his shoulder. Katana was still in her barrier, oblivious to everything. It was almost as if she attacked on command... her hair was still a furious red, but her eyes had more a pinkish tinge now.

As the light began to brighten to a blinding point, Usagi felt a weight on him. It was Kohaku, hugging him, holding his best friend close. Usagi was jerked upwards, causing Kohaku to fall with an 'oof' below him. The last thing the rabbit demon saw before being completely engulfed in the red light, and that strange jerky sensation, was the sight of Kohaku sitting helplessly in the mud, tears tracking down his face.

"U-usagi?" Kohaku sniffed. The light twirled around him once, then shot like a jet towards Naraku's fallen body. The red light absorbed into it, leaving a pink residue, lifting Naraku up high above all their heads. They all stared, speechless, as Naraku smirked, once again brought back to life.

"I spread my poison over you. Why are you alive?" Sesshomaru asked in a regal tone. "You were spreading poison over a corpse. The life I have now, is new." Naraku answered smirking. Sesshomaru leapt out of the way as a tentacle tried to pierce him from the back.

Kohaku stood there, shaking in a mixture of sadness, pain and anger. He had tears falling down into the dirt, in several places from his eyes, yet his expression was one of undeniable murderous fury.

_Perhaps because of the jewel shard in his back...? _Sesshomaru mused, pondering over the flaring red aura around the ex-demon slayer's small frame. Or was it the same kind of aura type thing that even humans gave off when in extreme emotion? Demons always had an aura, and some powerful holy people had a pure one too. But this was pure rage surrounding Kohaku now.

"You...you.." Kohaku struggled to think of a word to fit the vile being in front of him. "NARAKU! HOW COULD YOU?!" he bellowed as loud as he could.

"Die, Naraku." he said, quieter. Flinging his arm out, his scythe went flying, this time to kill. He didn't want to capture him like he did to Katana, he wanted to kill him. He wanted to kill Naraku, slit his throat, burn his body and decapitate him before slicing his tentacles into little bits and showering them in the ocean! This wasn't Usagi's soul he was trying to kill. It was simply a life force that used to be Usagi's. This wasn't even Naraku.

The scythe slit across one tentacle and through another. Kohaku pulled it back and threw it again, now joined in fighting by everyone else. Even Katana was attacking Naraku, but the only difference that kept her from being on their side, was that she also attacked them if she got the chance. It was pretty much a three sided fight, with the most populous side had two parties, one the Inu-tachi and the other Kohaku and Usagi (now gone), who didn't trust anyone, although they didn't attack anyone except for Narkau.

"HIRIKOTSU!" Sango yelled, flinging her boomerang to cut up an entire circle of tentacles while on Kilala. Rearing up behind the boomerang, she grabbed it and hurled it back the other way. Kilala flew after the boomerang so her mistress could catch the huge thing from this side, then on the other after throwing it again.

Flying high above Naraku, she spied down to see a tentacle, coming dangerously close to Sorai, unknown to her. "SORAI! Behind you!' she called. Sorai, after glancing up, whipped around and unleashed her wind blades. Sango took an intake of breath. This is a dangerous play, the one we're playing. She couldn't keep tabs on everyone AND fight too. She just had to trust them but when she could, she would definitely shout out a warning.

000000000000000000000000000000000

"KAGOME! Shoot an arrow!" Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder, getting ready to unleash his windscar.

Off to the side,Katana lunged, using her water spear. She pointed it towards it towards Sesshomaru's chest (the person she was currently trying to kill), jerked , only to realize that Sesshomaru was behind her. Before he could land, tossing her spear from hand to hand to create a small tornado, she knocked Sesshomaru off balance and began sucking in things with a power three degrees short of Miroku's windtunnel.

"What the-" Miroku began. _How can she create a whirlwind? Wasn't she supposed to be half a water demon? But then again...he thought, surveying the water spear, that spear is pretty powerful..._

Fumbling with the beads on his hand, he ripped them off, unleashing his windtunnel. Katana lurched with wide eyes. Who was this, battling her whirlwind? She whipped around her spear faster. Pretty soon they all would be thrown off balance. What she didn't think of in her blood thirst, though, was the fact there was an entire forest behind her, facing Miroku with her in the middle. Some of the trees also happened to be rotten. And with the power of her whirlwind and Miroku's windtunnel, it would be only a matter of time until one of those heavy trees came up behind her and and -CRACK

She got the point only after she was struck. Katana pressed forward on the ground, at least TWO huge rotting trees pinning her down. She could throw them off in a few seconds, but unfortunately for her, she didn't have that kind of time.

"Despicable." Sesshomaru echoed as his whip made its way to end Katana's life. He jerked back when he realized she was in the air, held up with one of Naraku's tentacles through her heart. Blood dripped down, all the way to the ground, in a sick kind of rainfall. Her eyelids turned burgundy for one short moment, then her eyelids drooped, her body falling limp. _I...can't move. I can't... breathe. Is that...blood? Ooh...pretty..._

Kagome gasped and screwed her eyes shut. She didn't want to see this. She didn't want to hear Katana's last thoughts, echoing through her mind. She didn't want to see the blood saturated in her kimono, then slowly dripping down, in some places, painfully slow, drop by drop, and in some places coming out so fast it was spurting. She didn't want to see it all.

_KAGOME! BEHIND YOU!_ A voice came. She opened her eyes and ducked down, falling flat on the ground. When she looked up, she saw a tentacle where her body was a second ago.

She looked around thankfully for her savior. It turns around it was actually Miroku, not being able to yell out the warning, only think it. She held an arrow upwards, and let her energy flow through it, causing it to go white hot with miko energy which scorched and purified any demon blood it came across. To all gods she hoped that she would never have to use this technique on Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Kouga or Sorai. After stabbing it through the tentacle and watching it fall slack, she straightened and drew her bow in front of her. It was so much easier to blame Naraku for Katana's death, even if she WAS in a blood rage. She had a bone to pick with Naraku, she thought, as she fired another arrow at Naraku's main body. A tentacle took the brunt of the attack. She loaded again. Her fingers were starting to bleed with gripping the huge supply of arrows she had, but she refused to stop. She would keep firing until she hit his black heart.

Inuyasha stood, panting. He had unleashed at least five consecutive windscars by now, but Narkau always made a wall of tentacles, and then regenerated them. The problem was when he was shooting windscars he was open to attack, and to prove that he sported plenty of cuts and gashed all across his body. If only he could get to the main body of Naraku...

Kouga spun around and around, his whirlwind itself like a barrier which no tentacle could penetrate, lest the fear of being ripped off by the high speed of wind. In between rotations, he would occasionally dart out and slash one of those vile beings with his sword, or rip it off with his claws and fling it in the forest so it couldn't regenerate that fast. He breathed hard, stopping his tornado for another hit on Naraku. But this time it was different. The tentacle didn't try to attack from the front; where he was stabbing. And why should it too? It had someone in the back doing it's job; right? He lurched to the side, managing to avoid the tentacle piercing through his head, but didn't get off scotch free. The tentacle shot through his shoulder instead. His head jerked back in pain. He screamed. The muscle, he could feel the muscle ripping, jerking, being pulled out; the the tentacle doing it's best to wriggle around and feel every corner of the newly made hole. It was inside him...slimy...sliding over his bone...oh god... he could feel it licking his bone...making circles with the smallest tip over and on his tissue... he blood poured out of his shoulder. He grimaced, and with effort, freed his legs, and was back in the whirlwind before Naraku had a chance to stop him, nor to rip the jewel shards of his legs. Once to the side though, he stopped and vomited for as long as he could before Naraku forced to move again. _Oh god...that feeling...retching!_

Sorai danced around the huge mass of tentacles with her fan out and ready to shoot her wind daggers. Her occasional attack, wind blades, was much more difficult to keep going, yet it was that which actually had a slight chance of getting through the flood of tentacles.

Sango chanted a war chant in her mind. _Dodge tentacle, block with hirikotsu, duck, throw boomerang, jump to catch, roll to the side, slash with sword and so on_. It was like the dance of battle, in which most of the time the tentacles kept to the routine. When she didn't keep up, well, that was the reason of the various wounds all over her.

Sesshomaru flew around the entire battle field on his cloud. He attacked whenever he saw the chance to do serious damage, or occasionally guarded someone's back if they were unaware of a lurking tentacle. So far, everyone except for Sorai and Sango owed them their lives. He had even saved Kohaku once. It was a good thing he was able to go around keeping tabs on everyone.

Miroku was busy. Intensely busy. He had tentacles to fight off, the ones coming for him from all sides. He couldn't use his windtunnel, because on cue, the saimyoushou showed up. Bummer, he thought as he swatted another tentacle away from him body. But in the end he had to. He opened his windtunnel at the sight of Sango being overwhelmed by tentacles, and too exhausted to go on much longer. He was out of range. He took a look at his hand, and forgot his doubts.

Kohaku's scythe whizzed through the air, brilliantly deadly. He still didn't like blood, and fighting, but he was trying to avenge Usagi. That required bloodshed. He was sad, but consoled him with the fact that the person he was fighting was neither Usagi nor Naraku. It was a revenge crazy demon. Determination hardening, he gritted his teeth and thought, this is an evil demon, one not worthy of living, and he would be the one to slay him. He would avenge Usagi.

Kagome pressed her lips together in concentration. Go! She willed. Her arrow sped through Inuyasha's windscar, creating a holy path for the energy to rear up even more. Naraku's eyes widened. This might be dangerous.

With a wave of his hand, a barrier was created around him.

"Oh no not again!" Sango complained. "Don't you ever fight?" she asked the towering halfdemon.

Kagome willed as hard as she could. Naraku deserved to die. This wasn't fair. He didn't deserve to live. The arrow flared with white light. He should be sent to the depths of hell. Taking so many innocent lives...the white light started with a pink tinge, and got redder as Kagome's anger rose at the thoughts of Naraku's atrocities.

Naraku's tentacles, already jutting out from the barrier, formed a slimy withering shield infront of the arrow. The arrow purified them all without a seconds haste and the fell to the ground. Naraku stared on in horror as the arrow purified its way to his barrier, the windscar backing it up. This was happening towards his face. From the other side of his mass of octopus look-a-likes, was the hiraktsu cutting its way through with Sesshoamru's whip, both aided by toujikin, Miroku's sutras, (he was now collapsed on the ground due to taking in poison) Sorai's wind daggers and Kouga's occasional physical help.

Kohaku stood still. He was waiting for a special time. When that time came, he would put an end to the revenge crazed monster he once called 'brother'.The time came. He moved. His scythe swung around Naraku's weakened barrier, and wrapped around it once, twice, until the arrow shattered it like glass.

The chain tightened and the scythe tip swung in a blur, around and around until no one could keep could track of it. Then, instantly, Kohaku knew it was over. This was it. The scythe tip slit his throat, dragging across the neck flesh.

_Is this it? _Naraku though to himself. _It is. He'd lost everything. His revenge, his family, Kohaku, his plan for world domination, lost the jewel shards._ The last thought he had was that he'd lost his life as well. His head drooped, and his limbs slackened. The body of the Great Under Lord Naraku fell to the ground; defeated once and for all.

Sorai let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She swept a glance across the exhausted fighters. Straighting from her fighting stance, she took a deep breath, and with a wide smirk, called out as loud as she could, "TEN. NINE. EIGHT. SEVEN. SIX. FIVE. FOUR. THREE. TWO. O-I KNEW IT!! HA-ha!" She stumbled over the collapsed bodies of her comrades (who had conveniently fallen at the countdown), and fell on her knees. _I'm not much better myself._... she thought as sheer enervation caused her to shut her eyes and fall into a deep slumber, covered with dirt, grime, blood, sweat and filth, like everyone else, and now mud from where they were resting their fatigued bodies.

Hakudoushi looked over the field. _Naraku. He's dead. He realized, staring at the body. I have completed my life purpose...Now that he thought about it; was it really so necessary to go this far to kill his enemy? Become a hanyou by the same methods as Naraku, send Katana after him, have her killed...is revenge really that important?_

With a turn and flash of white hair, Hakudoushi stepped off the tree he was currently in, flinging himself off it backwards. Landing with an 'oof' he cursed angrily and stared at the veins showing on his wrists. Damn hanyou blood...I don't want to live anymore. My life purpose is complete. I have gotten revenge, I never wanted this demon power. I want to die a pure human! Why won't you let me die if I throw myself off of somewhere?!

Shaking his head, he limped off into the thicker and deeper parts of Demon Glade.

000000000000000000000000000000000

This is it folks.

NOT! Hah! Don't worry, there is still a few chapters to go for these charcters. THIS STORY IS NOT COMPLETED YET. It WILL go on. These is still stuff to take care of! Tell me how you like this...(you probably didn't cause it wasn't funny at all, all death and fighting...but come on!)


	46. Chapter 46

**Naraku's mind games**

**WE FORGOT THE JEWEL SHARDS?!**

kouga woke up with the sun filtering through his eyes. Groaning and rubbing his aching head, he tried to get up.a sharp pain hit his entire body, and it took more then a few minutes for him to lose the grimace on his face. He shoulder HURT. It felt like someone had just driven a tentacle through it...he looked at it with an expression of disbeleif. Talk of the devil.

Noticing his surroundings, he gasped ad let out a loud yelp. Inuyasha's face was about three inches from his. He rolled off the bed(he had noticed he was on a bed) as fast as he could.  
"what the hell do you think your doing mutt?!" he asked angrily, still feeling himself from all over trying to recruperate from the sudden shock.

"oh...so your alive, are you wolf?" he asked cooly.

"mutt, I'm asking you this one time. What are you doing in the same room as me, when im sleeping and your face this" he sqeezed his fingers together to show the amount, "close to mine?!" he completed angrily.

"wolf, you are a bigger idiot then I thought. You had scratches all over your face so I used my healing saliva on you." inuyasha waved his concerns off with a flick of his hand.

"you...put...your...saliva...ON ME?!"Kouga jumped off the floor and ran into the bathroom despite the pain from his shoulder almost making him faint. Once there, he dipped his hand into the water and concentrated on washing his face coutless times, all the time shouting very rated M swearing words at inuyasha along with the accustion of being utterly disgusting.

Inuyasha on the edge of the bed, swinging his legs with a plaesed expression on his face. Kouga stared at him in disbelief. Inuyahsa giggled. Kouga was now starting to be very very afraid. He got up painstakingly and tried to run out the door. He cast a gloance back at inuyahsa who was now staring into the distance. Too busy looking back to notice he had strayed from the doorway, his shoulder (the injured one) rammed into the doorway wall as he tried to scramble out. Kouga let out a moan of pain clutched his shoulder with one hand. He couldn't take much more pain before he fainted. Everything he did caused his shoulder muscle to stretch and pained him immensely.

Inuyahsa 'tsk'ed. " kouga,now I'll have to lick that too!"

kouga watched inuyasha with horror stricken eyes. "no! Saty away from me mutt!" he backed out the door, right into a person whom he jumped behind and whimpered.

The person stared at him. "whattya doing mangy wolf?" kouga let out a shreik of surprise and shock. "what? You were just there-...AHHH! SAVE ME!" he broke out into a limped sprint, tripped...and fainted.

The real Inuyasha scracthed his head. "i think that shoulder injury damaged his head or something..." he peered into the now empty room. There was a smell of someone being here...

"are you sure this was a good idea?"

a sweet childish voice answered. "uhuh. Sesshomaru-sama's nurses say that if a person believes he's been treated, he gets better by himself!"

" but do you really think inuyasha had hearing saliva? I don't think so!"

"sesshoamru-sama does...so inuyasha should too!"

"somehow I have a bad feeling about this..."

inuyahsa gronaed. "SHIPPO! RIN! Get outta here!" all he saw was two blurs dart out the door. Damn kids...that was aproabably the scariest moment of this wolf's life... he grinned, then frowned when he thought of something else. "waaaait a second...that means kaouga thinks I'VE been licking him?! Eeeww! SHIPPO! GET BACK HERE!"

shippo and rin rounded the corner, holding hands and panting like crazy. "is inuyasha always this scary?" rin asked shippo, bending over to catch her breath.

"maybe I should have impersonated sesshomaru with healing saliva..." shippo addmitted thoughtfully.

000000000000000000000000000000000

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" a loud sqeal was heard from the direction of sango's room. Then a slap. And then a groan of pain. And then a unconscious miroku was found out the door. Sorai sighed. This, she knew was a regular rutine. Perhaps it was the humans way of showing affections...?

well, at least sango was well enough to defend herself. That atleast, was worth celebreating.

000000000000000000000000000000000

"how...did I get here?" kagome asked herself as she opened her eyes to her room in sesshomaru's castle. Last thing I remember...was that we fell asleep in the mud...in the battlefield...

she gasped and sat up. "oh god..."

forcing her legs to move, she slolwy limped out of bed. She had never felt more tired. It was a surprise sesshomaru had managed to fly them all here...

clearing her mind of all other sleepy thoughts, she sent a message to sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru? Can you hear me?

Unfortunatly, yes.

Is everyone alright?

Injured, tired and smelly, but noone's dead...yet.

Good. Any thing else we forgot? Ermmmm...who has the jewel shards?with how tainited they are, they shouldn't be in anyone's possestion except for mine...

sesshomaru froze. Then grinned. Then frowned. Then held his head in agony. Then wanted to pull out his hair. Then wanted to poisin fry everything in sight. You can only guess what happened tp the jewel shards.

He leapt over the table he was sitting at and ran full speed into a corriodor, where he found sorai. "m'lord?" she said inquiringly.

He didn't have time for this. He grabbed her shoulders and demanded in a more urgent fashion then ever before. "sorai, did you get the jewel shards?" She gasped. Sesshomaru felt like crying in exasperation.

Reasing her, sesshomaru felt like he was being rendered mentally instable. Just the THOUGHT of what inuyasha would do when he found out was giving him a headache. What he would actually do would probably make him contemplate suicide.

He carefully analysed the situation. Inuyasha was able to walk and talk freely, the only thing slightly restricting him was weakness that he should be able to overthrow in a day or twos time. Damn. That gave him very little time to figure out weather someone had taken the jewel shards, and or to get them back.

From far away, he heard a distant shout. "NNNOOOOOOOOOOOO! WHHADDDDDYAAAAA MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE THEM?! NOOOOOOOO! HOW COULD YOU KAGOME??"

sesshomaru groaned. That girl had just blown the time they DID have. Damn.

Shouldn't I have asked? An innocent voice came to the back of his head.

I hate you. He replied as vehemently as possible.

He could now hear the pounding of footsteps. Inuyasha approached him. "sesshomaru, do you remember if someone took the jewel shards, or not?"

he shook his head, upsetting the hair falling on his armor.

Inuyahsa fell to his knees, facing kagome who had just been dragged all this way.

Putting his hands up to is face, he let out in a chocked voice, "k-kagome...how could this happen to us? How could it?!"

kagome gave him a cold stare. "suddenly, in despair, we're a 'us' now, are we?"

sesshomaru smirked. Inuyasha moaned. Kagome intensened her stare.

"kagome! How could this happen! NOOOOOO! Noone remebers to get the jewel shards?! How? It's not fair!"

"life's not fair." (a/n: now I feel like crying for making naraku die...WAAHHH!)

"When you tell me that it will be okay  
Ya, I try to believe you  
But I don't"

"um...inuyasha?" kagome intervened. "I'M NOT TELLING YOU ITS ALL GONNA BE OK! WE FORGOT THE JEWEL SHARD FOR GODNESSES SAKE!" and she collapsed by inuyasha. Sesshomaru looked down on them both. I guess her 'be storng' attitude just failed...

"When you say that it's gonna be  
It always turns out to be a different way  
I try to believe you  
Not today, today, today, today, today" this was kagome.

"mortals, I am not comforting you. It is your fault for forgetting the jewel shards. Now, I have buisness to attend to-"

(sad violin music from BLEACH starts playing)They both had their heads bowed, yet it was kagome who spoke. In a teary voice, "s-so...your just going to leave...levae us like this?" she said the last in a low whisper.

"yes. Now, as I was saying before, I have buisnes-"

now it was inuyasha. "how could you? I always knew you were an emtoionless bastard...b-but..."

they both raised their heads to look at him. He froze in shock. He had no idea where they'd learn how to do THAT. It was...disturbing.

They both huge puppy eyes and were looking at him intently. Sesshomaru tugged on his collar. This was getting uncomfortable, he thought as kagome and inuyash ajust sat there on the ground giving him HUMONGOES puppy eyes. Waaaait a second! Im a INUtaiyoukai! Shoulden't I be immune to puppy eyes? Wait! I am immune to them! They are doing NOTHING to me! NOTHING! Now I will walka way and display how emotionless I can be...no wait, how emotionless I AM.

Kagome let out a cough with sounded suspiciously like a snigger-covered-up-at-the-last-moment-by-a-slightly-shady-cough.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. Inuyasha lowered his head and let outa grim laugh. "kagome, I told you he was an emotionless bastard." kagome shot sesshomaru a glare. Now look what you've done!

And...do I care?

You don't?

Fraknly, no.

you sadistic bastard! Now look! He's crying!

He is?

er...no. But he's ready to!

Liar.

Cold idiots aren't allowed to criticize. Maybe if we gave you puppy eyes again though...

sesshomaru made a full 360 degree turn out the door. Kagome was left dumbstruck. Wow...that was fast. Maybe the puppy eyes really worked on him after all...?

inuyasha lifted his head. "he's gone?" Getting up, "we have to find those jewel shards, kagome."

when she didn't answer, he looked down to find her in a deep state of thought. "what could you possibly thinking that is more important then the jewel shards right now?"

she answered slowly, as if it were taking a long time for her thoughts to get in order. "sesshomaru...is...susceptible...to puppy eyes."

"so?"

she looked him striahgt in the eys and grinned. Complete with The Evil Glint. At times like these inuyash was confused as to weather he should love this evil side of kagome's, or be fantastically afraid.

000000000000000000000000000000000

miroku sat on his bed, staring out the window. The gardens looked so beautiful...he thought. Just like Sango. Hhhmmmmm...i wonder if she'll symathize with my injuries...he brought his sight over his pale hand, newly recovering from the poison, cracked rib from a particuarily hard fall, and sprained ankle.

Maube she'll be so amazed at how well I'm bearing with the pain, and how I opened my wondtunnel for her, and for how patheticly hot I look in all these bandages she'll run to me and hug me and then hold me close... he sighed fangirlishly.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Sango groaned and struggled up in bed. A nurse came running immediately. "Lady Sango! You musn't get up yet!" she shrugged them off. "n...no. I can...get up." she said, grimacing in pain despite the pills kagome had given her.

Sorai entered the room. "sango, if you insist on moving, then I will start my countdown again." sango looked at her. "its...just that I had a really REALLY bad feeling about something..."

sorai ingnored her. "ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. Told you so!" she aid to sango, who had flopped back down in her covers, unable to bear the pain from trying to get up. Sorai gave a wide smile. "works every time!" and exited.

The nurses around sango shuddered. "she's been doing that as long as she's been here, and the person ALWAYS falls by the count of one!" one said.

"do you think it's a spell?" another asked.

Sango shook her head weakly and crocked, "no, just REALLY really good timing." and closed her eyes to rest again.

000000000000000000000000000000000

kohaku sat in the corner of his bed. He didn't like this. Why were they all being so nice to hi.? He had tried to kill them countless times. He had accepted that maybe sango was his sister...but he wasn't getting any memories as proof. As he saw was a lot of blood and her picture with a sickle which looked undeniably like his in her back.

He still cried. A lot. Over a lot of things, people. He cried over how the naraku he knew dissapeared, over the deaths of everyone in the family he remembered, over how katana wasn't herself when she killed everyone and naraku killed her, over usagi, but most of all over his misfortune. He was the only one left alive in this sea of heartwenching events. The whole thing was heartbreaking for him.

There was only person who gave him a bit of comfort. A little girl dressed in a orange kimono, knew how he cried like this. She had seen him.Hwo would she knoe how this feels? Kohaku thought bitterly. Yet his heart told him something else. Her eyes held a knowing kind of pain when she looked at him. They had never talked, she just sat outside his window sometimes, silently picking flowers from the gardens. She left the flowers over there, often in a chain or bouqet. Often there were also a few fruit or sweets with the flowers. When she returned, the flowers were in his room, and there was something, like a pretty rock in their place. She would pick it up and smile brightly. Then return to picking flowers.

I should talk to her...kohaku thought.

(A/N: First real friendship...?)

000000000000000000000000000000000

They were sitting in an uneventful dinner. Everyone who could get up came, which meant everyone except for sango, miroku and kouga. Kohaku skipped this time.

As rare as it was for everyone in this group to shut up and be quiet, they were. There was unnatural silence, mainly due to the sulking mood inuyasha had put on. Nurses had not let him entered in miroku's, sango's or kouga's rooms becauss of their condition.altough he had been very amused to see that sesshomaru had prepared male nurses for miroku, he had to find out whether they had the jewel shards or not. Hence, the sulking mood.

Sorai choked on her food when she realized how stupid she had been to let the last happy person, Rin, get up from the table and leave. Mentally kicking herself for the stupidity, she tried to start a coversation.

"Inuyasha, kagome?" they both looked up, inuyasha forgetting for an instant to keep his grouchy face on. "so...did you find where the jewel shards are?"

sesshomaru groaned silently. Wrong coversation starter, sorai!

kagome shook her head slightly and returned to her plate. Inuyasha let his face fall on the table in despair, conveniently forgetting that there was a plate infront of him.

His head rose again, now covered in rice grains with a few pieces of meat nd vegetables acompleteing the look. Kagome snorted. "inuyasha, come on. I'll help you clean up." she grabbed inuyasha by the elbow and led the inconslable hanyou off.

Once he was gone, sorai burst into silent giggles. Thankfully most of the nobes were too busy eating to notice her. "forgive me'lord." she gasped, her gigglies continuing. Sesshomaru had fought the erge to laugh out when inuyasha raised his head too, so he didn't consider this rude as he normally would have done.

Ten minutes later the two returned. Inuyasha had come back, apparetly in a worse mood then before. Kagome followed, red faced and giggling. She tried pouting as he sat down. "inuyasha, I've already apologized! Now cheer up!" he 'humph'ed.

"Look, you were so damn funny covered in food like that, its not fault! I said sorry too!" she reasoned. Inuyasha just ordered another plate of food from a servant. Kagome sat down.

To sorai's inquiring look, "he's mad because I was laughing at how he looked." sorai looked down, and it wasn't hard for kagome to guess that she had been laughing too.

She patted inuyasha on the back, his face turned away from her presently. "come on! Get over it, Inuyasha!"

the servant had brought the food. With a quick nod of thanks, inuyasha blew on the meal until it was reasonalbly cool, then took it in his hand and stood up.

Kagome and sorai looked up. "oh? Your going somewhere?" sorai asked. The look he gave her was one of pure evil. She cringed but hadn't even time to process it properly when he dumped the entire plate of food on a certain raven haired miko. It seemed as time froze, inuyasha's leering face, sorai's surprised look, kagome's look of astonishment, and sesshomaru indifference. Then...very very slowly, kagome turned her head to look up at inuyasha's not-so-confident-anymore face.

He gulped. This is going to be good...sorai thought. Sesshomaru showed a slight spark of interest in the ongoing events.

Kagome, in a fluid movement that left inuyahsa in a state of trauma, laifted her plate and smashed it in inuyasha's face. She grinned, pushing back a few grains of rice from her face. He looked at a loss first, then grinned too. "food fight!" kagome shreiked, and dove to the opposite side if the table with sorai.

Sorai raised one eyebrow when kagome smashed the food plate into inuyasha's face. The other eyebrow met the other at the top when they both grinned and yelled 'food fight!'. Kagome, crouching behind the table whispered to sorai, "sorai, you'd better run and hide or join me. Shall we just run, or will we FIGHT?!" she gave a heroic speech. Sorai shook her head. "i think I'll watch." kagome shrugged. "your loss."

kagome stealthily peeked over the table. Her hand darted out and grabbed a basket of fruits. Taking a nice large apple, she chucked it at inuyasha, who dodged cleanly and responded with a plate of vegetables. Kagome ducked in time, but neverless the vegeables landed on the top of her head. She brushed them off angrily and drew her hand back with another apple.

At once her body felt light...she glanced up to realize that sesshomaru had picked her up by the collar, like one would with a misbehaving cub. "hey! Sesshomaru! Put me down!" she thrashed around wildly.

He ddint' budge. Kagome cast a hopeful look to inuyasha, who she registered with horror, was currently being taken away by sorai's barrier. The winds surrounded him like a bubble and he was calmly floating away.

Miko. Do you want me to tie you up again?

Shuddup and put me down.

I think not. He carried her lightly to her room, threw her in and locked the door from the outside. You are too weak to be rampaging my castle as of yet.

I would know how weak I am! LET ME OUT! I have to fight inuyasha!

Noble intentions, but not now. Be a good miko and go to sleep.

You do know that mikos are never good, right?

She never got an answer as sesshomaru turned and floated away. (a/n:- sesshomaru walks way to gracefully for it to be walking...in my opinion)

kagome flopped down on the bed. Of all the stupid things they could have done, they forgot the jewel shards. Damn it. Now they were probably in the hands of a demon who trying to make himself as powerful as naraku. And just as annoying. It felt a little weird to think that they wouldn't be changing bodies anymore. Good, defienently, but she had liked acting like sesshomaru, and sucking at it all along. In a strange unexplaiable way, she had liked it. But that may have been because of his hair and fluff...

she turned over, and propped her head on her hands. It was weird. Sesshomaru looked more like a girl then they did, and they were actual ones. Usagi, Kohaku's best frines had looked like that, possibly even more. Her train of thoughts turned to kohaku. She really couldn't imagine what it must be like for him. She had thought sango was bad, but now sango had her friends, her (somewhat) lover Miroku, and a life to look ahead to. She knew she could nevre properly forget her family, but now kohaku was with her for the time being. They would have to take his jewel shard soon.

She sighed, wondering why fate had to be so cruel. Because lifes not fair. The answer came up immediately. The phrase...that piece of advice was so...biased towards everyhting, and yet true in an unnerving way. She didn't like it.

Perhaps sesshomaru could use tensuiga on kohaku once they took the jewel shards out? If the demons of hells were being kept at bay by the power of the jewel shard, then sesshomaru should be able to cut throught them and bring kohaku back to life...right? She would have to ask him. It would mean so much to everyone, Sango most of all.

000000000000000000000000000000000

kohaku sat outside his window today, watiting for the girl. She came, happily skipping but stopped in her tracks when she saw kohaku where she usually was. Bursting into a sunny smile, Rin bounced over to him and plopped down. Kohaku shook his head. Where did he think this girl could know it was to lose something? She was so cheerful, it was like she was born and raised in a world where misaps and casualties were thankfully absent. Rin turned to him and put an chair of flowers of his head.

"pretty princess." she remarked. Kohaku put his hand up to feel the flowers, then looked at her when she talked.

"you look pretty, princess!" she repeated, and mock bowed. Kohaku laughed slightly. So, she wanted to play castle, did she? Kohaku had never played it himself, he hand only watched the other children. Sometimes, the brothers- Ataru's and Hatu's- cousins came over for a day or so...or so they used to. Rin took kohaku's hand and pulled him up. When he was standing, she kneeled and smiling in joy, offered her hand. "may I know your name?" she asked.

Kohaku laughed more heartily this time. His little girl, was cheery and funny. He knew she was trying to cheer him up, and it worked. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "no. my name is Kohaku, and your the princess." rin looked around abashadly. "princess' are girls." he explained.

She nodded. "rin."

kohaku;s mouth tugged at a smile at this simple introdution. He deceided he liked Rin a bit. "do you live here, princess Rin?"

she beamed at his qeustion. "princesses always live in castle, warrior Kohaku."

kohaku shook his head. He didn't want to be warrior, to spill blood, tt fight. He was sick of it.

"I am not a warrior." he told her. Rin looked solemn for a moment as she struggled to come up with a new rank for her new friend. "prince!"

kohaku smiled again. This girl, Rin, was the exact opposite of Usagi. Although they were they about the same in human years, usagi didn/t have a shred of innocence on him. He was tough, hard in combat, although he disliked blood, headstrong, and never naïve. Usagi looked beautiful, he admitted that, but it was not the same. Rin was innocent and childlike and he was shiny steel. But there was no point comparing them now. Usagi was gone, dead like the rest of old life.

Kohkau blinked to clear his eyes of the tears that had suddenly welled up out of his thoughts of usagi. Strangly, he had known usagi the least amount of time, yet it was for usagi he shed tears for, his adopted mother coming on a close second.

Rin stared at him, fascinated in a queer way bu the vacant expression on kohaku's face. She sat down slowly and continued to observe him. It was a good minute or so before kohaku realizde she was staring at him. She made no pretense to cover up her staring, instead buckled her knees up, wrapped her hands around them, and started whispering slowly. Her expression was downcast, there was no pain, just comapssion there. She whispered about her old family, and how they all had been mudered by theives, how she used to be beaten by the village men, how she had found sesshomaru injured that one time, nursed him slowly. Kohkau's eyes widened. She had been throigh this much. How could she still smile like that? But he hadn't even heard half of it.

She told him of how the wolves had attacked, and how she remebered them knocking her to ground and biting her until she closed her eyes. Then, she explained, the next thing she remebered was opening her eyes to be in sesshomaru-sama's lap. Kohaku took a sharp intake of breath. He knew what must have happened. The taiyouaki had revived her with his healing sword. She knew too. She told him.

Byt the end of her story-which only took ten mintues although it seemed like forever- kohaku was sitting beside her with a rapt expression on his face. This girl had clearly sufferd much more then him, he never even remebered his first family, nor had he died (or so he thought), yet she was the one cheering HIM up. The world was a twisted place.

She continued, now turning to her kitsune demon friend and her current life. She talked a lot. Kohaku reflected the obvious. But he liked it.

He liked hearing about the castle, and sympathised with Shippo when she told him how his parents were killed, and how kagome had taken him it. Then, in a spilt second of immense discovery, he realized that everyone in this group had suffered. They all knew how he felt, apart form that ice berg that is. Inuyasha, because kohaku knew how hard society is for half breeds, Sango, because he heard about her family being killed, (although he had no idea he and naraku had killed them), miroku because of his father and imepending doom.

He could...try and live with Sango. His sister.

Feeling a ticklish feeling, kohaku absentmidedly slapped his cheek. It persisted, then some giggling. He turned around to see Rin with a long blade of grass in hand and a goofy grin. He smiled, uprooted some nearby flowers and threw them on her. She pretented to pout for a bit, and then smiled widely and pushed him to the side. Flailing his hands wildly as he lost his balance, he fell on his side. Now it was Rin's turn to get revenge. Yanking out an entire flower patch in a speed that clearly showed she was a professional, she dumped them all on his unbalanced form. "Ha! Catch me if you can!" smiling widely, Rin ran off, leaving Kohaku to pick dirt and flowers off himself and marvel at what a peculiar child she was.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Awww! Wan't the last part cute? Wasn't it​? Wasn't it? TELL ME!

Please tell me your favorite parts! I can't improve if you don't tell me how!


	47. Chapter 47

Naraku's Mind Games

Kagome sighed with releif. Then she grimaced, winced and prepared to beat the crap out of Nobunaga.

"WHADDYA MEAN YOU JUST TOOK THEM?!" she screamed at him. He cringed and tried to back away. Kagome took a deep breath. _It wouldn't do for her to kill him...yet. At least not until he told her why the hell he took the jewel out of her bag. And for some reason, Sorai never remembered taking them out either. He had scared the crap out of her. What if they had actually left the jewel behind? And to go so far as to hide it?! _

_That would practically be theft!_

Nobunaga reached inside his hakama and pulled out the incomplete jewel, in a glass case that prevented it's energy rays from being seen, even for her. Kagome snatched it greedily and narrowed her eyes on Nobunaga. "Explain."

He gulped and began. Everyone alround was giving him death stares. That meant Inuyasha's pout, Sesshomaru's uber scary glare, and Kagome's miko special stare. He was lucky that everyone else was too injured to come out of their rooms yet. He took a deep breath and stammered, "W-well when the monk's badger compainion brought you all in, you all were horribly injured. And this castle being full of demons," he waved his hand to show, " The jewel's light was irresistable. So..." he took another breath, "I took the jewel and hid it until you were well enough to protect it again. You probably couldn't sense it with all the demon auras in this castle. I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused." He bowed.

Inuyasha flared up. "INCONVINIENCE?! YOU SCARED THE HELL OUTTA US!"

Nobunaga trembled, too scared to look up. Kagome, meanwhile had happily taken the jewel and was inspecting it. "Well, there's no harm done Nobunaga. Thank you for being concerned, but next time, " she leaned put her hand on his shoulder. "Try and tell us before." he nodded shakily.

She turned around where Sesshoamru was playing his own little drama. _WHAT? THEY ANNOYED THE HELL OUT OF ME FOR NOTHING?! NOBUNAGA...I WILL KILL YOU!_

_She laughed. Lets not get viscous sesshy._

_Visciuos? You havne't seen anything yet._

_And I don't want to. Don't fire or kill him, ok? He really is a good guy._

_What would happen if I told inuyahs you said that?_

_Nothing._

_Sure?_

_Yes._

_Fine._ With a flash of silver hair, he turned around and dragged Inuyasha out the room by the elbow. Moments later, "SAY WHAT?!"

_I told you so._

_Cheater. Your forgetting that I can read his mind too. You told him that Kouga had eloped with Sango._

_Damn. You were supposed to get all flared up at him..._

_Shut up._

She stepped out of the room to see a very shocked inuyasha and a smirking sesshomaru. "He's joking you know." she told inuyasha, who looked releived then angry. Ssesshomaru, whay the hell has gotten into you people?! First you do the jewel disappering thingy and now you tell me one of my frineds had run away with a wolf!" Sesshomaru smirked harder. "All for seeing your reaction, litle brother."

Doing a graceful turn he exited the room, leaving Inuyasha simmering. "Damn that stupid bastard...that really scared me."

Kagome simply laughed.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Hakudoushi stood on a branch in the core of Demon Glade. Ahead of him was a giant bat demon, looking foreboding and evil in the evening light. Hakudoushi leaped gracefully off the branch and landed on the ground with a cat's balance.

Straightening, he trotted calmly towards the demon, who was judging by the thrashing and groans, in feeding mode.

The bat demon flapped it's immense wings, causing little puffs of smoke to ignite on each joint. Hakudhoudhi looked up. It was such a garanguatan thing, yet it managed to be precise while hunting.

The bat demon spoke in a low rumbling hiss. "Do you want to die, Hanyou? I am feeding and you are approaching me."

Hakudoushi cocked his head up to see the demon's face. "I have no reason to live."

The bat demon, who would have attacked anyhow now that Hakudoushi was in range, let out a sadistic grin, showing all of its sharp fangs. He didn't need to say twice.

Swooping down, he bared his fangs and snapped Hakudouhsi's body into two, devouring it immediately. Settling down now that it's hunger had somewhat been fulfilled, a nagging thought constantly pertubed the demon. _Why_, he asked himself, _was that hanyou so happy to die?_

Twist and turn he might, but as much as he tried, he could not forget the peaceful smile on Hakudoushi's face as his body spurted blood and the life drained from him.

00000000000000000000000

Sorai cleared her throat after dinner. Everyone, now thankfully healed enough to come down for meals, looked up expectantly.

Sesshomaru slightly jerked his head, silently giving her permission to continue. "Now, that the minion business is over, I have a confession to make."

Raised eyebrows.

"I felt the need to inform you all-"

Inuyasha cut in, "You hate Sesshoamru and want to murder him?" Sorai shook her head furiously as giggles issued. (most people- who weren't dense enough NOT to notice coughinuyashacough- had noticed her crush on Sesshomaru)

"No, I wanted to-"

"Tell us that you're going to leave the castle?"

"Or that your parents are still alive?" Sango guessed.

"Decided to wear something other then yellow?" Kohaku offered.

"Enjoy torturing jaken?" Shippo voiced his idea.

"Love Jaken?" Rin asked slyly. "NOO!" she yelled back. A great deal of laughter and blushing later, Miroku asked, "Hmmmmm...have agreed to bear my children?" Sango whammed his neck with her hand formed in a karate chop position. After Sorai was done putting him in a barrier and carting him up ten feet above the table, Kouga asked, "Are going to come to our wedding?" he put his arm around kagome. She immediately subdued him, saving anyone else from having to deal with him.

"No! I just wanted to tell you-"

"-That you're a fish?"

Everyone burst into laughter at this idea. Sorai was getting annoyed. "NO! I just wanted to tell you that I had a minion once!"

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"You...had a minion?" kagome clarified. Sorai nodded.

Another silence. "So...are you sure your not a fish?" Kouga joked. The atmosphere broke.

"Sorai, if you had a minion once, it is purely your buisness. I was clear that you were revolted at the idea now, and that's all that is required." Sesshomaru told her. She sighed in releif. It was clear that she was having second thoughts about telling them all. Good.

"Did you use him?" Kohaku whispered to Sorai, his voice barely being heard above the racket his compainions were making.

Sorai jerekd her head in a nod. It had been a custom in her tribe, to have minions. And when she had actually been struck down in battle once, she had taken advantage of that fact, although she regretted even following that tradition now.

Kohaku stood up abrubtly. "Excuse me." he said stonily, keeping his eyes fixed at a point above Sorai's head. Making a full roatation, he frostily walked out of the dining hall. Rin immediately followed. "Kohaku! Wait!" she called, getting up without bothering to excuse herself. Shippo looked on at her for a moment then ran after them.

00000000000000000000000

Rin sprinted after Kohaku-only pacing fast himself- with Shippo. Although most of the adults had been quite unhelpful as to what exactly had gone on in their battle, Rin and Shippo managed to piece it together. Therefore, they knew why Kohaku was upset. Sorai had used a minion, just like his best friened was used.

Finally catching up to Kohaku, Rin and Shippo stood infront of him, denying him room to walk further. Rin opened her mouth and began, "Kohaku! Listen to me! You don't have to be like this all by yourself!"

He looked up, pain and anger clearly showing in his eyes. "Yeah! Kohaku, as your friends, we're going to cheer you up if the last thing we ever do!"

With a battle cry, Rin tackled the surprised Kohaku by the stomach, knocking him over...right onto Shippo's waiting tranformed form. Rin clambered on after him and exclaimed, "Shippo! I didn't know you could tranform into a ostrich too!"

Shippo closed his eyes. People always got his tranformations wrong. "I'm a flying bird!" he said, slightly irritatedly and flapped his wings to raise his body. Rin clapped her hands in delight. "Yay! Shippo! You can fly!" while Kohaku just looked around apprehensively.

"It's hard flying in corridors, so I'm going to take you to gardens. Then we can tickle Kohaku until he cheers up!" Rin giggled. Kohaku gulped.

The adults looked up in surprise when Shippo flew (as a bird) over their heads, with Rin laughing with glee and Kohaku with a dark scowl on his face, on his back. Not a sight they saw everyday.

Shippo swooped up and down until finally getting his flying act together and staying at one level. And not too soon either. Rin was used to flying on Ah-Un, but Kohaku was completely inexperienced, and now feeling a bit woozy.

"S-shippo...fly a bit calmer..." he wheezed, trying to get his sense of balance straight. "I'm doing the best that I can!" Shippo assured. "we're almost there anyways!"

Kohaku's vision started to blur. He closed his eyes for a bit and tigtened his grip on Shippo's neck feathers. Hearing shippo yelp with pain, without bothering to open his eyes, he let go.

He tumbled over to one side, unable to tell whether he was sitting straight or not without holding onto something. Rin screeched and grabbed his collar, causing her to fall with him...in the koi pond they were currently flying over.

Shippo looked over his shoulder. _Why did he feel so weightless now? Maybe because his luggage had just fallen in a koi pond_. Shippo yelped and swooped down yelling for Kohkau or Rin to grab hold of him. They did, Kohaku and Rin, from either side, but instead of him pulling them up, he was yanked down into the cool water. Spluttering, and gasping for breath, he tranformed back into his original form.

"Kohaku! Rin! Let me go!" he burbled, partially underwater. They looked surprised at the fact that he was being held underwater, but released him immediately. He emerged, glowering at the two, who preteneded to look away to hide their chuckles. Shippo smirked and splashed a fish at Rin. She screamed when she realized it was on her shoulder. Kohaku caught it and brushed it off, unfortunately on himself. Yelping as the poor fish somehow made it inside his shirt, he flailed his arms wildly as the thing flapped around, slimy and cold ( not to mention ticklish) on his skin. He fumbled with his buttons, struggling to get his shirt off. Rin helped him halfway through has she simply yanked the thing off over head. Kohaku breathed a sigh of releif as the fish went back in the pond, then turned to fume at Shippo with Rin.

Shippo gulped. He was in for it. He was attacked by Rin and Kohaku, jumping on him (despite the water being over their heads) and dragging him underwater. Rin grabbed a fish and slipped in the neck of his shirt while Kohaku held him. "AAAAIIIEEEE!" Shippo screamed as the poor fish squirmed and tried to get out.

Kohaku smirked. "Think again before throwing fish on us next time, Shippo!" Shippo grinned. "Nop!" and he splashed waves of smelly water on Kohaku. Kohkau retalited with chucking plants and weeds on Shippo's shirtless (and now simmering) form. Rin, deciding to break them up, quickly dived underwater and yanked them both down by the ankle. A second later, they all were trying (and failing) to survive laughing and tickling each other underwater. When finally they swallowed too much water, (and Shippo a tadpole) they emerged, panting for breath and dripping wet.

"Koh-aku...never...try tick...ling...me underwater...again." Rin wheezed, deseperately trying to cough the water out of her lungs. Kohaku shrugged and pointed to Shippo, who was gagging and throwing up a tiny tadpole on the grass. Rin blanched. "ugh..." She groaned, her own stomach lurching from watching Shippo.

Three minutes of disgusting hurling sounds later, Rin schreeched, "SHIPPO! STOP DOING THAT ALREADY!" and then in a smaller voice, turning away, "It's making me sick..."

Footsteps were heards by the trio as three concerned parents/gardians approached. Sesshomaru, Kagome, and Sango looked around for the course of the commotion before seeing Rin, Kohaku, and Shippo in the koi pond, Kohaku and Shippo shirtless, all of them soaking wet with traces of plants on them, and Shippo and Rin looking a little green.

Sango and Kagome burst into furious giggles at the inncent looks the children were giving them, and Sesshomaru 'tsk'ed. "Rin, if you wanted to play in the water, there were more appropraite and less ...dirty places to do so." he reprimanded her. Shippo spoke up. "Err...no! Lord Sesshomaru, I was carrying them to the gardens and they both fell off my back into pond and pulled me in too!"

"Pulled you in? You told us to!" Kohaku argued.

"I didn't think you were that heavy!" Shippo wailed back.

Sango interuppted. "That still doesn't explain why you two don't have shirts on. You could catch a serious cold!" Kohkau immediately pointed to Rin, who was pointing to Shippo, who was pointing back to Kohaku. "HE/SHE PUT A FISH IN MY SHIRT!" they all roared simulataneously.

Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow. Sango and Kagome sighed. "This is getting us no where. Come on out guys, before it gets too late...why are you so green Shippo?" Kagome asked.

"I swallowed a tadpole..." he muttered, holding his hand out for Kagome to help him up. She reached over and grabbed his hand, preparing to yank him out when Kohaku and Rin exchanged mischevious glances. Kagome, even with her mind reading ability, never had enough of a warning as they both wadded forewards, and pulled Shippo back in the water, dragging the miko along.

"Very funny you two!" Kagome huffed, trying to glower at the two instead of laugh. _The tadpoles were really ticklish..._

"Sango! Help me out here!" Kagome called. Sango shook her head. "You'd better not pull me in too!" Rin, Kohaku, and Shippo put on their best innocent look. "Of course not!" the three chotled.

Sango sighed and grabbde Kagome's hand. Kagome took it then began to grin devillishly. "Sango, your too naïve. You took their promises, but not mine!" with this she pulled the startled demon slayer in the koi pond with her.

"KA-GOM-E!" Sango yelled after she was done gasping for breath in the water. Kagome gulped at the scary expression on her friend's face. "Kohaku! Help! She wouldn't harm her brother!" she waved her hand wildly and swam over to hide behind Kohaku, who looked thoughly confused.

"Sesshomaru...help me out here." Sango sighed. He narrowed his eyes. "If you try to pull me in..."

"I won't!" she assured and caught his hand. Kagome grinned again and emerged. "This isn't Sango's doing!" she proclaimed and attatched herself onto Sango's back, pulling her down with all her might. Rin started pulling on her, Kohaku after that, and then Shippo, all with identical grins. Sesshomaru smirked. "I won't go down that easily." With a jerk all of them were coughing and spluttering at his feet, in the mud.

Kagome, who had landed face flat in the mud, looked up murderously. "Oh no you don't! We get muddy, you get muddy! **Fluffy in the mud!**"

_I hate you._

_Obliged._

0000000000000000000

"I'm not even going to ask." Sorai muttered dryly. Inuyasha and Miroku (still ten feet above the dinner table) nodded as they surveyed the remaining people come from outside covered in mud, throughly wet, with plants and fish on them.

Sesshomaru shook his head. He smelled of mud and dirt, and everyone else smelled of fish. And what was worse, things like this had gone on for so long, Sorai and the others didn't even bother to notice them anymore. He could dye his hair pink and no one whould notice. Was this curse of the miko? Sure looked like it. He glanced over to Kagome, who was threatning to hug Inuyahsa in her muddy state if he didn't stop hiding his giggles behind his hand. Too late. Kagome pounced and rubbed her muddy hand in Inuyasha's face.

He screeched and pushed her over. "Sit boy."

Sesshomaru shook his head. If this group ever learned how to concentrate, he would eat his armor.

_Would you really?_

_If you did the impossible._

_Then we'll do it!_ Kagome cheered. Rin sneezed, holding onto Sesshomaru's tail. Sorai bent over. "Rin, you'll ctach a cold when your all wet like that. Now,-" She raised her voice, "If you all don't get changed into clean dry clothes soon, I'll start counting and have the nurses do it!"

Sesshomaru sighed. And now she was theatning them. At least it worked though, all those wet and muddy (except for sesshomaru) ran out of the room as fast as their legs could carry them_. And stay in your rooms._ Sesshomaru thought irritatebly.

Casting a look of what possibly could be pity, Sesshomaru let out a grunt. "Sorai, let the monk down." She smirked and let down her barrier, dropping him from that height. He landed with a thud and a 'Oof...owieowieowie..'.

"I'm in my private quarters." he told Sorai, before walking off. Once there, he took off his armor, swords and outer clothing layer, and lay down in his bed. He closed his eyes and sighed, trying to feel sleepy. It had been so long since he had been able to relax like this... everything had been smoothly with politics. And since Naraku was dead, that was no longer a problem. The only thing that haunted him was how long this peace would last. Judging by his brohter's ability to get in trouble, not long.

He shifted his pillow underneath him. He had to sleep. There was no use of staying up and not replenishing your energy when all was well. His hand slid over to the other side of his bed. (more like an elevated padded futon) at once his hand met a fluff object unlike his tail. It was cruder...and was small. It was a stuffed animal, he thought, smiling to himself. So Rinn had left it here... he grabbed the thing and tried flinging it off the bed onto a table, but decided that he was too lazy to do so and it lie halfway there, right by his chest. 'I'm bored.' he thought idilly, after a moment of trying and failing to keep his eyes shut. _Weird...I haven't been bored for so long...this is getting too peaceful for his own good. Maybe he should go annoy the miko a bit...? _or not. For some reason, despite being bored, he felt too lazy to go and annoy the miko then fight with her. Why she had so much energy was a mystery to him.

The next thing he knew someone was knocking on the massive ornate doors. He stood up groggily and paced over to the door, not even registering that his robe was half open from the front and sliding off one shoulder; and his hair was flowing all over the place. _Oh well._

He yanked the door apart, to find Sorai standing there with a urgent look on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, (her thoughts were useless right now) but stopped abrubtly when she saw the state he was in. Blushing a furious crismon at the sight of exposed flesh, she bowed her head a little (much to Sesshomaru's amusement) and continued with her message. "Milord, it's Rin. She's fallen ill, it seems. The miko's medicine's aren't helping any, so I thought you...might want to be informed..." She dwindeled the last part, eyes flicking up. Almost immediately afterwards, she blushed another pink tinge and bowed her head more. Sesshomaru seemed to notice his condition and pulled his robe up the shoulder it falling off of. She was uncertain of what to do, he noticed. Was rin that sick? An unsettling sensation came over his stomach.

"Where is she?" Sesshomaru asked.

"In her quarters...with the nurses and everyone else..." Sorai responded, still denying herself the definate pleasure of looking up.

He was worried, and really worried at that. _Was rin really this sick?_ For some reason he couldn't imagine the castle without her, coming home to her after every trip, constantly getting the gardens replanted to combat her flower uprooting skills...

He paced hurridly down the corridor with Sorai running behind him. It seemed like forever to him until he finally threw open the room door. Surprised eyes looked up at him. He, however, saw Rin before anything else. She was lying on the bed, tossing furiously. The taiyoukai wrinkled his nose. The room smelt of Kagome's medicine, fever, and Rin underneath it. He sat down on one of the chairs placed there, beside Kohaku and Inuyasha. "How long has she been like this?" he asked Inuyasha, despite his nose telling him it had at least been a few hours. _Had he really asleep that long?_

"It's been about an hour and a half and now her fever's just starting to spike." Miroku sighed. The tension in the room wasunbearably thick. Sango sat with Kohaku, trying to comfort him a little with a hand on his shoulder as he watched Rin intently for any sigh at all.

_Rin...was when we were playing in the pond the reason why you're sick?_ The thought came to Kagome from Kohaku. He was clearly very worried, but no less then everyone else in the room. Rin was loved by all.

"She has a high fever..." one of the senior nurses muttered mostly to herself. The breath in the room seemed to stop with the sentence.

Sesshomaru called Kagome mentally.

_Kagome. Do you not have anything else that will bring the fever down? Your era is far more advanced then ours._ He almost pleaded. Seeing Rin like this, groaning and turning, burning with fever, made his stomach lurch and head seem dizzy.

_I gave her what I had, but the fever's only been rising since then. Maybe she isn't used to the medicine of my era and it affected her worse? I can't give her anything else if she isn't used to it. She could get worse, or have an allergic reaction._

Shippo sat silently, staring at Rin's face. _Did she really get sick because of the way he had dropped them in the pond? It was a bit chilly and they __**were**__ playing in there for quite a lot of time...and they hadn't even changed immediately. If something happened to Rin..._

The taiyoukai got up and sat on Rin's bed, no longer caring that there were others in the room. Still in his bedraggled form, he raised his feet onto the matress. He couldn't shake this feeling of burning coming from Rin;she had an intense fever. After feeling her forehead he frowned unconciuosly and brought his fingers through his daughter's hair. _Rin...get well soon_. Somewhere in the back of his mind something told him that tenseiga couldn't be used twice.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. "Lord Sesshomaru. I've never seen someone with as much boundless energy as Rin. Some of it will come to use here, surely." she sqeezed, with an unreadable expression on her face. Without thinking Sesshomaru tensed, then brought his hand to lightly brush hers. As if just realizing what he was doing, he removed his hand immidiately. _Rin was doing stuff to his mind surely..._

With a nod to Sorai to let her knew that he understood, Sesshomaru leaned back on the bedpost, preparing to stay there until Rin was well enough to be uprooting flowers again.


	48. Chapter 48

Naraku's Mind Games

Rin's Illness

Rin's head slumped slightly tot he side of her pillow, towards Sesshomaru's seated form. He gently picked up her head and tucked a pillow underneath, not bothering to move her away. Her fever still hadn't come down despite it being a full day since she first got it. Sesshomaru had dismissed all his duties in Sorai's hands and stayed in her room. He couldn't bring himself to even think about anything else right now, let alone about work.

Kagome let out a breath of air from where she was on the sofa. She had forced him to let one of them take turns staying as the second person in Rin's room. Right now it was her shift, and before Miroku had stayed.

Sesshomaru supposed he should thank them sometime...but they had insisted. He was staying by Rin day and night and he could make out much more time before he felt the need to go to sleep. They were only trying to comfort him, he realized. If someone had to stay with Rin, it could have been one of many castle healers or nurses. Sesshomaru looked over her form, calmly leaning against the sofa side, almost asleep. Ever since they killed Naraku, the body swaps had ceased abrubtly and now he felt the mind reading powers waning too. Amazingly, no one knew about them yet. He hoped it would stay this way, and they would quietly fade without anyone else ever having to know.

He had left Rin's side, once, to change into something slightly more decent. He didn't think he would remain sain after reading all those distrbing thoughts from the various nurses when he was trying to think. It getting extremely annoying after the first five seconds.

Kagome slid her hand across the shikon jewel around her neck absentmindedly. There were only three shards left, the one that Kohaku had, and the two in Kouga's legs. She didn't want to bring up that topic yet. Kohaku didn't evem remember dying, and she highly doubted that both Sango and Kohaku would be at peace with this. _Maybe Kohaku could continue to live with the jewel shard_...? that way she could continue to travel through times. Choosing an era was far too difficult, she knew that without trying. On one hand there was her family, and then her friends. Although she had lived in the modern era since birth, the past few years travelling through times was when she'd been the happiest. And even if she could somehow find Inuyasha and Sesshomaru in her era, sango and miroku would have been dead, something she couldn't handle.

She had been gifted to meet them all, and she was going to use that and KEEP meeting them. _She would live double lives_, she decided. Maybe she could make a puppet like naraku had, or a shikigami to take her place while she was in the fuedal era? After all, how many people got the chance to live two totally different lives at once?

Sesshomaru slid his feet off the bed and raised himself. "Kagome, I'm going out for a bit. Stay here with Rin." she nodded, her eyes still closed. He had begun using her name more freqently now. Ever since they had defeated Naraku there was something telling him that she was a friend, and should be adressed such. Not that he would ever tell her so, though. There was a limit to how mushy and sentimental a taiyoukai could get.

The gardens were always a place to relax, he thought, walking out into a deserted garden. The entire castle had taken on a grim atmostphere as the news of Rin's illness. Even the demons in the castle who were still preduced towards humans despite their Lord adopting a human girl as a daughter had payed some respect and toned down for a bit. Sorai's doing, most probably, he thought. She would do something like that, telling them to shut up right now.

He was still worried over Rin's state. She hadn't woke up since yesterday and was still burning with fever. If only he could do something else...the miko's medicines had backfired on her, it seemed and now he wasn't willing to try anything except for what she'd already used to. Which happened not to be working. He sighed. If only someone could come up with a way to get Rin out of the fever... if Sorai found something in the books that the healers missed, like she found a solution to everything else. He could picture her, unlike his demon mask that was stotic, hers were cheerful. They both served the same purpose, to hide emotions. Except her's was just far better suiting on her.

Speak of the devil. He felt a presence next to him that was, like him, enjoying the garden's tranquiility. Sesshomaru flicked his eyes upwards towards her for a moment. Her face was tilted upwards towards the sun, and she genuinely seemed to be enjoying the weather. Her thoughts, however, told differently.

She had come for him. In a flash of realization that had always stayed in the shadows of his mind, Sesshomaru suddenly became concious of how she had always been there for him, even when he didn't want it. He liked her, he concluded, he always had. Just now more then ever.

In a flash of sliver hair he turned around and walked inside without another word. Although coming from anyone else, it might have been consided a rude dismissing, but Sorai knew her Lord better then that. In his language, he was acknoladging her company and excusing himself. She smiled to herself. _So much could be said through silence._

Kohaku and Sango ran through the hallways at full speed. Obviously something the matter, they didn't bother excusing themselves from the people they startled/knocked over, nor registered that Rin's room was off limits while the healer checked her when they burst through.

"Sesshomaru..." Sango panted. The healer, a middle aged demon pointed out the door. Rin currently had her shirt off and was lying back up, still in a sleepy trancelike state to let the healer to check the sandpaper rash spreading across her back. Kohaku immediately turned beet red and dragged his sister out of the room, blushing furiously and trying not to show it. Once outside, Sesshomaru loomed over them.

"There's a sign, you know." he said irritably to Sango, who looked up and acknoladged the 'do not enter' sign (Kagome's brainwave) on the door with an 'oh'.

"My apologies, Lord Sesshomaru." Kohaku began. "-but we think we just figured out why Rin's liked this."

Sesshomaru's eyebrow twitched. "And what makes you think that you have any proper idea?" he doubted them.

Sango crossed her arms. "Becasue we're humans, and your healers and demons. That's why." Sesshomaru mentally kicked himself. Getting demon healers for a human girl. Stupid of him, although it had always worked before. Perhaps Rin had only gotten mild colds and coughs before...

oOf course the demon healers wouldn't be familiar with a human disease, if that's what Rin had. Sango had a point. Maybe she had a better idea.

"Over here." he motioned over to his most public study, happening to be closest.

The sibling sat down and fidgeted with their clothes, clearly worried about of their hunch was correct.

"I-we," Sango began. "-went over Rin's symptoms and to us..." She paused, sighed, then took another breath. "-it looks like scarlet fever."

Koahku nodded. Sesshomaru cocked his head the slightest in inquiry. "Rin...she has a fever, a sore throat, a rash and slight stomach pain, right?" Kohaku confirmed.

"There was a time when this disease spread across the demon slayers village too. It mostly attacks on children, and it can affect anything."

"Anything?" sesshomaru asked. Sango explained further. "It depends on person to person. Even if the life is safe, some children lose their sight, other's the ability to walk etc."

sesshomaru blanched. It was that dangerous after passing the life or death phase!?

"Is there anything to combat this 'scarlet fever'?" he asked, hoping all of his existence into the answer. He almost screwed his eyes shut in concentration.

Sango shook her head apologetically. "I honestly have no clues at all." _There might be a cure, there might not be..._

Sesshomaru felt dread flood through his body. It was strange, sapping away at his energy, cascading through his body like a waterfall. He couldn't let any thing happen to Rin! It was too devastating to even think about what could happen if he didn't do anything fast.

He had always been a practical person. He had never tried to hide from the truth, no matter how painful it was. He hated the shadows that blocked out the light of the truth. Yet, right now, he wanted nothing more to escape from the horrible reality. Rin, dieing. _Get real,_ he wanted to say. He couldn't imagine Rin not being around, (even though he had seen her dead once before).

When she had asked him if he would remember her when she died, he had wondered where she got the idea to ask him that. But honestly, he couldn't ever forget her...she had forged a path in his life with her cheery smile. Now things were abnormal without her. Talk about infectious; and it wasn't her disease either.

Sango stood up. "Me and Kohaku are going to get Kaede from Edo. We'll be back either tomorrow morning or late this night. Tell Rin to hang on." Sesshomaru had become an invaulable friend to all of them. Even if it weren't for the Rin everyone loved so much, it would still be for Sesshomaru. They would still go to the ends of earth to help each other out. He had, risked his life to fight Naraku (for the sake of mushy dramatics, lets conveniently forget that Naraku was targeting him too) with them, and had helped them win. Truly an invaluable friend.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Kagome sat across from everyone at the dinner table. Even though not many people had appitites at times like this, they still met as a custom and a place to gather. Miroku, the voice of the group, announced everything. "Sango has told me about her suspicions concerning Rin's illness." he said, then paused. Taking on a commander like tone, "We've decided to break up here." Sesshomaru jerked his head up. _Break up?_

"Sango and Kohaku are going to Kaede, Kagome and Inuyasha are positive that her era will supply something only for scarlet fever that won't backfire, Kouga says that his clan had the most competent doctor for demons and humans in the entire area, and I STILL think I saw a healer in the human village a days walk on foot from here. So we have about five different plans to get Rin up and going. We can't possibly do more for her right now."

"So...you'll all be back in two days at the most." Shippo concluded. He himself had wanted to stay with Rin. Sesshomaru nodded abrublty. _They all were going so far for Rin..._

"Very well. I shall await you." he excused himself and returned to Rin's room.

The rash was spreading across her face now. It was a sandpapery texture and dry. She had flushed cheeks and was pale around the mouth. According to Sango, they were also symptoms. So was the fact that her tounge's pigment was a strawberry pink. "Rin...hold on. We're getting somewhere." he murmered amost silently.  
He sensed a presence and called out:"Come out, Sorai." Sorai slipped open the door and stepped inside, the redness on her cheeks no less then Rin's.

"Forgive me, milord...I though she might want these there." Sorai held out a bouquet of lemon daylilies fresh from the gardens. He nodded and stepped back and watched Sorai placing them on the table. _She was fond of Rin, Sorai was._ Sesshomaru shook his head slightly. Now was not the time for thoughts like that. _But still...she comforted him._

0000000000000000000

"Inuyahsa, so you think we can get there in the morning?" Kagome asked, sitting by the campfire with Inuyasha, Sango and Kohaku. He nodded. They had been running/flying all day and now were taking a well deserved rest in an open meadow. Acording to Inuyasha, they were still about six hours run from Edo from where Sango and Kohaku would hurridly kindap Kaede and a horse and race back to Sesshomaru's castle as fast as they could. Kaede was a lot more open minded about demons then most other humans or preistesess, (most proabbaly because her sister had fallen in love with a half demon), but she would have three million questions before she agreed. Three million questions that they didn't have time to answer. So they had decided that Sango would grab Kaede, Kohaku would pack all the herbs in sight, and they would put Kaede on a horse and lead her to the castle. _Boy was she going to be pissed_, Kagome thought with a chuckle. It was a good thing that Inuyahsa and herself would be five hundred in the future, safely out of Kaede's way. They were going to go jump in the well without any second thoughts.

She let her mind open to Inuyasha, wondering what he could be thinking about with that stern expression of his. To her surprise, it took a lot more effort to get inside his mind; maybe the spell was wearing off? She had thought it because she had a constant barrier inside the castle, but now...

0000000000000000000

Kouga sighed and shifted against the tree branch. His clan's moutains were a lot futher then Edo, but then again the doctor was the best one for miles too. He had covered half the distance and was now ready to collapse despite the shikon jewel shards in his legs. _I just hope that Fudo can do something for the runt..._

0000000000000000000

_Ahhhh..._ thought Miroku as he relaxed in an inn's bath. He hadn't found the healer he was looking for and finally lodged for the night. Sesshomaru's castle was an entire day at a brisk pace and there was no way he could go back like this. He just hoped he could find the guy...or preferably a lady healer soon. If he couldn't by the two day time limit, he had to go back empty handed.

Until tomorrow then, he resolved and concentrated on relaxing. (A/N: that sounds weird...concentrating on relaxing?)

0000000000000000000

Sesshomaru trudged ( In his mind. He's too graceful to TRUDGE.) to his room. There was no way he could go any longer without sleep. It would be light and short, but he needed it if he was to keep up his strength. He really didn't want to, but his body insisted. Sorai was to be sitting by Rin tonight. He didn't want to leave her side for a second. Rin was still burning with fever, although she had woken up once for an hour or so, eaten something light and went beck into her fitful sleep. Sesshomaru grabbed his sleeping yukata, a servant's futon and made an full turn back to Rin's room. Tonight he would crash there.

Soria raised her eyebrow when she saw Sesshomaru enter the room. "Milord...weren't you going to sleep?" she asked from her place on a wide comfortable chair, wearing her sleeping robe.

"I am." he replied, lay out the futon and headed to the bathroom. When he returned wearing his yukata, there was a bed in place of it instead. Sorai smiled slightly. "There are more then enough beds in this castle for milord to sleep on."

He nodded and lay down, taking the sheets across his exposed ankles. After a while he turned on his side. Then shifted again. This was getting unfortable. Sorai wasn't sleeping. She was simply sitting there with a book in hand, checking Rin's fever from time to time. It was getting a bit akward to sleep in in front of your advisor. He heard her get up and the book shutting. Her footfalls out side the hall came back into the room a moment later with something large and bulky.

He opened one eye. _For some reason it smelled rather like...cane. That's why._ There was a chit (divider) between covering his face and torso from Rin and Sorai.

He smiled slightly. This was a lot more comfortable, still being by Rin and not feeling uneasy by sleeping in other's presence.

_Sorai was so thoughtful_, he reflected as he drifted off into a light slumber.

0000000000000000000

"It's dawn! Wake up!" Kagome called out cheerily. Normally it had to be Inuyasha who would drag her out of her sleeping bag at this time, but not today. Today she actually set the alarm for an hour before dawn. They had a lot to do.

"Uuugghhh...Kilala...five more minutes..." Sango mumbled and closed her half opened eyes again. Kohaku got up slighlty more dignified. It seemed he was more of a morning person then Sango.

Inuyasha was no better off. He was quite tired, running all of yesterday with Kagome switching from on his back to Kilala, but they couldn't help it now. Maybe in the village they would get horses for everyone. "Mmmm...poke me again and I'll cut...you with Tetsuiga..." he grumbled still in a sleepy state, not registering where they were or who was waking him. "Inuyahsa, if you don't wake up, then Sango's going to beat you to breakfast!" she threatned falsely up to the tree. Sango was in no mood to get up yet.

Sango groaned and turned on her futon. Inuyasha went back into heavy sleep, murmering from time to time, "Mmmm...Ramen..."

Kagome was starting to get annoyed. _Rin's health depended on this!_ Granted the two couldn't register that right now due to their sleepy state, but still, Kohaku had gotten up. Maybe because he was really worried for Rin?

Kohaku smiled a bit as he ate breakfast. It was to get going again. He was tired, granted, but at least this way he didn't have the feeling on his shoulder that he should be doing more for Rin.

"I'll wake Inuyasha." he told Kagome, who nodded through her noodles. With expertise ease, Kohaku swung himself up on the lower branch of the tree Inuyahsa was sleeping on. He gently reached his hand upward and poked Inuyahsa in his side anything but gently. The hanyou balked jerked in reflex then murmered, "Kagome...stop that...mmmgggghhh..."( half snoring sound half 'mmmm' ing sound)

Kohaku raised an eyebrow. So he thought he was Kagome did he? They looked nothing like each other..._hopefully_. The hanyou was still very much asleep. He reached up and shouted next to Inuyasha's ear, "SIT BOY!"

Inuyasha balked, opened his eyes and tried clambered up the tree branch immediately. Unfortunatly first thing in the morning his body didn't have as much balance as he wouldn have liked it to, and he went crashing to the ground. Kohaku stared from above, amused. _It seemed that even if __**he**__ said that phrase inuyasha would fly towards the ground out of habit. Hehehe..._

Inuyahsa sprung up and shook his fist at Kohaku who was calmly was gathering his haori from the branch. "KOHAKU! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? IT'S SCARY ENOUGH HAVING KAGOME SAY THAT ALL THE TIME! I DON'T NEED YOU TOO!"

Kagome chuckled. Sango grumbled something incoherent, silently got out of her futon, grabbed the largest rock she could find (since it was a meadow, it was about Kilala's untransformed size) stomped over to Inuyasha, and smashed it on his shoulder.

He yelped. "Owwwww...sango what the hell are you-"

he stopped when he saw the murderous expression on her face. "Inuyasha, next time you wake me up by screaming and yelling, the rock WILL go on your head."

Kagome chuckled and watched as Inuyasha scrambled behind her to cower from Sango for a few minutes. "Inuyasha, you should know better to wake up a sleeping woman." He shook his head. "well then learn that now. Just because I'm not nearly that grumpy doesn't mean anyone else isn't either. Especailly stay away from powerful women with weapons. DEADLY weapons. Like Sango."

HHe pouted and sat down to eat his ramen after washing up.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Kouga was awoken by the sun filtering through the trees overhead into his eyes. _Boy was he...TIRED_. But he had stuff to do today. He yawned and forced himself to get up. After a quick breakfast of an apple he found (he didn't have time to hunt right now) he set off again. Hopefully he would get there in good enough time to rest for an hour or two before bringing Fudo the healer back with him.

_I wonder if Fudo still remebers his human healing techniqes? He had given it up long ago._ The actual story was that he had fallen in love with a human girl from a villlage and had entered her father's appreinticeship (he was a healer too) as a way of seeing her everyday. After that he had unconciously become quite good at healing humans and they used to come to him at his clininc (right by his lover's house). But when the girl was taken as a bride by one of the warlords in the regions, he had given up coming to the village for anything at all, let alone for healing humans.

_He USED to be a very competent human doctor..._

It was a wonder how he had manged to hide his demon identity and tail for that amount of time... when he was pretneding to be a human he had torn off his claws and trimmed his fangs. He had barely been stopped from tearing his tail off too from his wolf demon friends. The other miracle was how his tribe's spciety had accepted him back after he was gone for so long.

_Oh well._ Kouga shrugged_. It wasn't his problem now. Right now he was hoping Fudo still remebered something from his youth..._

0000000000000000000

Miroku sat down on a wooden fence. He had searched for some time now, and was now forced to conclude that the doctor he saw was in some other village. Some other village he didn't have time to go to. He would have to set off back to Sesshomaru's castle after a few hours. It would be alright if he go there early...he was empty handed too.

0000000000000000000

"BE GENTLER YE FOOLS!" Kaede screamed from atop her horse to two demon slayers, also on horses.

"My apolpogies, but we didn't have time for doubts, preistess." Kohaku adressed the lady riding by him. She 'humpg'ed. "When did ye come back to your sister anyways?" she asked after a while.

"When we defeated Naraku." Sango said, not being able to contain the hint of pride in her voice. "Ye what? Why must ye not tell me these things? Ye even stayed in Sesshomaru's castle instead of coming back here and telling me!" Sango winced. "we were barely able to make it that far, and that too thanks to Hatchi. Sory for not telling you sooner but we all were wounded badly. And really badly wounded. Like smashed shoudlers and holes through legs."

She smiled slightly when she saw the expression of pity on Kaede's face. "Ye shuld have known that I'm not predujiced towards demons as much as other humans."

Sango nodded. "Despite being demon slayers, we aren't that much either. But really, you remember Rin, right? She's ill with something dangerous and every minute counts."

Kohaku grimaced at the sound of the reason why they were hurrying. "I hope you put horses for Kagome and Inuyasha?" he asked. He knew that the hanyou was far too tired to ran all the way back with Kagome on him. "I did. I even put up a note in a place even** they** couldn't miss." She responded with a smug smile and then turned back around.

"Come on! We have to get there as soon as possible!" Sango cracked the whips of her horse and sped off. Kaede and Kohaku followed. The plan was to ride on horse back for as long as they could before switching to Kilala, their actual form of transport. It would take about five days on foot, two on horse back, and in a combination of horseback and Kilala, hopefully less then a day and night.

"Rest up, Kilala." Sango pet the two tail resting in a basket on the side of the horse. "We'll be needing you soon." Kilala purred.

0000000000000000000

"Hi, gramps, mom, souta! I hope you all are fine, I don't have time for staying right now, mom, could you just help me run over to the pharmacy to get a children's medicine of scarlet fever? I'll be back later, I just need it now! Thanks! I love you!" Sakura Higurashi gaped as her daughter grabbed her and dragged her out the door towards the medical store.

Inside, Gramps and Souta were frozen in place. "Hyper teenagers..." they both grumbled simulataneously, chuckled, and went back to what they were doing.

0000000000000000000

Kagome slapped her forhead. "Sango didn't have to make it so obvious..." outside the well, there were two horses and a HUGE sign made of chart paper and crayons that were proabaly shippo's, saying, 'HERE! INUYASHA, KAGOME! HORSES!'

She had even gone as far so to stick a sign on the front each horse saying, 'Miko kagome', and 'Baka Inu'.

Inuyasha fumed when he read his horses's sign. "SANGO! WAIT TILL I GET TO YOU!" he screamed into the sky.

Miles away, Sango shivered suddenly. _What's with this...horrible feeling?_

Miles away from Sango (the other way) Kagome was now laughing her wits out on the edge of the well. "Inu...yasha...I can't believe...this..." she gasped, while watching Inuyasha trying to remember how to ride a horse. It had taken him minutes only to get mounted.

"Shuddup! I do know how to ride a horse! I just...forgot. It's been way too long!" he snapped at her while trying to figure out which rein was supposed to go where.

Kagome strightnened. "Well, then it's a good thing that I learned how to ride after coming here!" she walked over to Inuyasha, placed the riens properly in his hands, and mounted on her own one.

"Aahhhh! I remember now! You do this, right Kagome?" He cracked the reins and the horse took off running. "Aahhhh! How do stop Kaaaaaagggooommmmmeeee??" He yelled as the horse carried him in the distance. "It's alright! We're not stopping anywhere! Straight to Sesshomaru's castle!" She called back to him, then gently pressed her heels into the horse's sides and took off after the hanyou.

0000000000000000000

"Kagome! Stop! You can't do this!" Inuyasha called out to the miko riding behind him. "Come on Inuyasha! We don't have time to be too slow! We have to do this as fast as possible!" she replied. Then she watched with shock as Inuyasha's horse halted in mid trot, shooting him forward onto the ground infront of it. "What's with you?!" he asked the horse irriatably. It neighed. "Stupid horse..." he grumbled as he climbed back on the horse. "Inuyasha, what's with that horse?" Kagome asked. _It stopped and started when ever he talked..._

"I dunno." he shrugged. The he grinned. "I suppose any horse would go nuts if you had to say with that nutcase Kaede for too long, you know, Kagome!" There it goes again. At the sound of the last word he said, it abrublty started trotting again.

"No way." Kagome mouthed. "Inuyasha, say my name again."

"Huh? What?" he asked from atop his -who had recently started-walking horse.

"Just do it!" she commanded. _If this were the case, she was going to want an explaination from somone..._

"Kagome." he stated flatly. The horse took off galloping at full speed. "Kkkkaaaaggggoooooooooooooooooommee!" he shouted in desperation to plead her to do aomething and the horse halted abrubtly, jolting Inuyasha and earning many curses from him.

"I knew it!" Kagome proclaimed and rode to catch up with her companion. "Kaede, next time I see you, you have to tell me WHY EXACTLY you named and taught a horse only to listen to the command of my name!"

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "Well...it can't hurt to try. Kagome." The horse started in a decent trot. He smiled. "Probably her payback for busting up her supplies, eating her food, and drawing demons towards her hut all the time...Kagome!" he cracked the reins and took off full speed towards Sesshomaru's castle.

0000000000000000000

How was that? Please tell me how this chapter was! I apologize for the lack of humor but there has to be a few-only a few- serious chapters too. Sorry.

Review please! Will Rin be saved? Or will she succumb to the same scarlet fever that has claimed so many lives? Have you finally been able to guess who will pair with Sesshomaru? Should it be Sango? Or should I make him gayer then 'Happy Bunny Fun Land?'

Honestly; I would love to do that. I'm crazy for yoai (is that how you spell it?) and BL.

(notice my obsession with KKM and other shows of the type as well my adoration of the Bankotsu/Jakotsu pairings.. Not to mention that my favorite Bleach pairing is Byakuya/ Renji?)

Look up Byakuya and Renji- you'll love how they look and their charcters are so awesome!

Usagi: (out of nowhere) ok, shuddup. Happy? You've had you next chapter advertising time. And told of your weird girlish obsession with BL. (shudders)

Me: (shocked) where the hell did you come from?! And shuddup; you just think like that 'cause you're a guy. Most girls find BL unbeleiveably hot.

Usagi: I'm a dead charcter. I can come up any where I want to. And I don't even want to MEET the people you call 'most girls'...

Me: (eyes shining) YES! AWESOME! You're back Usagi! I was almost crying when I had to kill you! Say...you don't think Bankotsu could come too?

Usagi: I dunno. Proabaly could if he wanted to. Why?

Me: whddya mean 'why'? HE'S HOT JUST TO HAVE AROUND!! (goes into super fangirlish flutter-happy mode) Or maybe like Wolfram from KKM...or Gunter...or Ukitake taichou (swoons)...or...HITSUGAYA TAICHOU!!

Usagi: (slaps forehead and drags authoress out of sight) I don't need you listing everyone you like. How come me and Sesshomaru are out of it though? Or naraku even? He isn't bad looking!

Me: I know. But Sesshomaru is in angst right now, your already here, and yes, naraku IS pretty...but he's busy swearing vengence on Katana...AGAIN. Plus I plan to make Sesshomaru elope with Sango.

Usagi: (rolls eyes) Yeah, sure, like a taiyoukai and a demon slayer will EVER run off to get married- especially since they both have thier own love lives.

Me:You wanna bet that, Usagi? Ooooookay, MEANWHILE, let's get Kutcki Byakuya around here sometime...

Usagi: Kids, this is why you DON'T overdose on coffee! I just watched her drown the entire supply of the house in like two days.


	49. Chapter 49

Before I say anything, I hate this chapter. I don't know why. I had it written out for months now, but I could never get it right, and now I'm submitting it as it is. I'm sorry, I know, you wanted the last to be best, but this sucks in my opinion.

Naraku's mind games

Final Chapter

"So this is supposed to be good for her?" Kagome asked, poking at a few herbs Kaede brought. They were bright purple and squishy. The healer nodded. "They're for bringing the fever down; we'll deal with everything else later." Sesshomaru stared silently at the old healer. He had previous experience told him that Kaede was often the one to take care of this group's wounds when they were injured (quite often), so he trusted that she knew something about herbs.

"Yes. I have seen this disease before just once, before. I was able to heal the child completely." Sesshomaru nodded. So she had experience. Good. "But should we be giving all the treatments all at once?" Kagome asked, she and Inuyasha, still out of breath from when they had shown up a few minutes ago. Since they had only spent about a few hours in modren tokyo, they weren't too far behind from Sango, Kohaku, and Kaede who had set out immedisatly after healer-napping Kaede.

"That's proabably not the best of ideas....." Miroku admitted, returning from the village empty handed. Sango was suspicious that he only went there for the inn famous for it's beautiful waitressess. He didn't deny or confirm it.

"Since I use my demons powers to heal, and they can't backfire, I think I should go first. If my powers don't heal her, then you can try the other things." Fudo suggested.

"On the contrary I think you should go after everyone else. Your demons powers won't interfere with the other forms of treatment, right? So we should have you and one other thing going right now." Sango said.

"I think it will. Remember the time you tried that on human who couldn't be healed any other way? He shrivled up. And THEN died." Kouga reminded Fudo.

Sesshomaru paled. _Shirvled? _

"We really aren't getting anywhere here." Shippo commented. Kohaku nodded. "But I still think that in comparence to Kaede's herbs, her herbs will suit Rin better, since she's used to them, but the ones from my era are far more powerful. Rin is still in the early stages of the sickness, and it hasn't had time to spread and affect anything yet, so we should let Kaede's herbs work first. She has to return first too."

Kaede chuckled. "Edo will attack your castle if you don't return me, you know."

Sesshomaru felt like banging his head on the wall. Just because Rin's fever dropped a bit today, doesn't mean she's all well now! And evreyone else was acting like it was nothing. "Very well. Lady Kaede, you try to heal her first. Healer Fudo, you will be led to your room by Jaken. The rest of you, stop acting so relieved and get outta here." Sesshomaru's tone changed immediately from formal to frank when he was adressing the rest of his compainions. As soon as Fudo was out of sight, Kagome poked Sesshomaru in the arm. "What? Don't we get the royal treatment too?"

Sesshomaru replied gruffly. "You are. You're being treated as royal guests and Inuyasha's already in the royal quarters. Miko, remember naraku is dead. I have no use for you. I WILL kill you when you get out of hand."

Putting up her hand to silence Inuyasha and Kouga, Kagome turned away from all of them to Kaede. "Kaede, look how much your neckalces have served me. Fluffy."

Kaede surveyed the not-so-graceful demon lord with an all knowing smirk. "I thought you would put one on him. That's why, these two: she pointed to Kouga and Sesshomaru's neckalces, "Are more powerful then Inuyasha's. He is a halfdemon after all."

Inuyasah smirked. "For once, I'm glad I'm not a full demon here."

Kaede was at awe of how utterly frank and informal they all were with the taiyokai of the west. Weird, because the only person she had ever seen touching him without dying was Rin. And here Kagome was POKING him. The world was coming to an end. She breifly wondered if Sesshoamru hadn't developed some kind of affection for Kagome (her cheeriness was infectious), but then disgarded the thought, immediately reasoning that Inuyasha would rather die then let Sesshomaru make a move on Kagome, even if the taiyoukia did like the human miko in that manner.

What was she doing playing matchmaker anyways? Kagome and Sesshomaru still hated each other, judging by the dirty looks being shot in every direction.

Kagome, who had just realized what Kaede was thinking, chocked on her spit and gagged. _What the hell are you thinking Kaede?!_

A few minutes of coughing and wheezing later, Kagome raised her eyes and gave her a look that left Kaede in shivers.

_Wow....it's almost as if she read my mind then.._... Kaede reflected, all the while grinding herbs.

"Kaede, I need your help in something. Could you meet me after this?" Kagome asked, ans then walked out the door.

"I need someone to grind these herbs. Someone who can do it fast." Sesshomaru silently held out his hand for the grinding pot.

Kaede silenltly handed it to him, smiling inwardly.

Within three mintues, the Lord of the Westren Lands had mushed it to paste. That wasn't surprising since his arms were blurs, how fast they were mashing. He could have just dripped poison into it and turned it into ashes, but they would be toxic and .. Not really what he'd want Rin to be taking as medicine.

"Done." he handed it back. Kaede took it, and handed him another bowl full of herbs. "This one is for the rashes, that one she had to mix with water and drink for the fever, this one is for the stomach pain, and the last one for the actual disease." She pointed to other bowls all of strange looking herbs, all piled in one sack that Kohaku had hurridly thrown in when they kidnapped Kaede.

Sesshomaru had to supress his surprise. _THIS many herbs?_ Compared to Kagome's medicine this was comparing a moutain and a hay stack.

Kagome had given him a little box filled with the pill llike things she used for headaches, and Fudo said he didn't need any medicine to heal the way he did.

_How could he be sure he was making the right decision? Wasn't Kagome's era indeed more advanced then theirs? In that case, wouldnt it be more wise to let Kagome's drugs try healing her first? Or will they backfire, like the fever pills did......or would Kaede's herbs not work, and instead just give her time for her condition to worsen?_

_Was sending Fudo away for now the right choice? Could he really heal beter then Kaede or Kagome?_ He shook his head. He needed to go to the gardens to clear his head. There were plenty of servants to grind the herbs for Kaede in the same speed he did. _He wasn't exactly practiced at it...._

Although his castle had excelled healers, they were demon healers who worked through methods similar to Fudo, except Fudo had altered his way of healing so humans could benefit, while his castle healers catered only to demons.

_Sheesh, his mind was clogged_. All this tension wasn't helping him think properly, neither was the smell of vile herbs inside Rin's room.

"I'm going to the gardens. I want to be informed immediately if there is any change in her state." he stated, to which Kaede grunted and the servants nodded.

Walking outside into his private gardens, he stood there quietly trying to gather his thoughts, letting the breeze fondle him. It rippled through his hair, and brushed his hakama.

For a second all he did was take breaths of fresh flowery air. It did little to calm him. He was still in a turmoil to what he should do regarding Rin. It wasn't the fact that her life was in his hands. He had had that kind of responsiblty for her as long as she remained had under his care. Protecting her from Naraku, from crazy pigs from China, etc.

It was the fact that he was clueless in human medicine, and he had to make a decision that might cost her her life, was his problem.

He was totally unaware what to do here, and Rin was too young and too weak to figure out what she needed for herself. In fact, if it were not for Kagome and the others, he wouldn't even have figured out the name of the disease, nor what was wrong for having demon healers for a human girl.

Pathetic......

Behind him, a figure aproached. It seemed his appearance in the gardens reserved for higher level officers had caused a certain other person to be alert. She was sitting under a tree in the far side with a book in hand, apperntly something concerning the castle's finances. She had pretty much taken over managing the castle, and he had to request her not to take over his place in political meetings too. It was like she was the one controlling everything, when he went to his study all that was left of the paperwork was his signatures. And he had a slight inkling that she had ordered all the servants and underlings to give him one report daily, instead of coming to him all the time. This meast he could finish all the tasks at once, then have time to sit by Rin. It was a lot more time utilizing, and the matters that he could not deal with for one reason or another, Sorai took it upon herself to complete for him. _She was a real help_....he thought.

Usually he would have denied any form of help from here, but since she was already his advisor, and she thought he didn't know these things, he let it slide. What was the point of having sensitive and smart servants of you weren't going to let them be helpful, eh?

Besides, he was grateful for her help, although he would hardly admit it. He turned around and attemped a slightly 'happier' face, like the one Rin and Kagome seemed to have taken it upon their honor to bug him about making. She beamed back and after chuckling almost silently she asked, "May I ask you a qeustion, milord?"

"You already have." he replied, having turned back to face the flower patches. The flowers reminded him of Rin, another reason of why he came here to think.

"Leaving aside the obvious." she clarified.

He nodded, not bothering to answer her or to turn around. He could almost picture Rin here......no wait! She wasn't dead! He had many medicines yet to try, she would be back here soon! He stopped himself from reminincing on her memory in these fields.

"Did by chance, Rin or Kagome-chan ask you to do that?"

His eyebrow quirked. "Do what?"

"Um...the happy face." she said thoughtfully.

Sesshomaru almost burst out laughing on this one. She saw through his act right to who told him to do it......that's his top advisor for you.

Thanks to his mask, however, he manged to get away with a little smirk.

"How very preceptive of you, Sorai." he answered, turning just in time to see her flush in pride.

"No, no, not at all, milord. May I offer my opnion here?" he nodded again, his eyes sliding over her hopeful stance.

"It looks like mi'lord had been drinking sake with Kagome-chan." she said, then grinned a rascal-ish smile afterwards.

"That's quite an ....interesting view." he answered with some difficulty. _Did he really look like that? In other words, he didn't look good....._

"So it's unbecoming?" he asked. Sorai shook her head. "No mi'lord. Just....we aren't used to seeing it on you." She bit back her tounge when she was about to say 'and you should be happy more often, it looks great on you' when she remembered that Rin was sick, and therefore, asking Sesshomaru-sama to be happy during this time would just be stupid.

He could, however, read her thoughts.

_So it didn't look bad on him? Oh well. It was not like he ws going to go smiling to his entire castle even if it suited him really well._ Smiling was a emotion, he reminded himself, only to be shown rarely. _Maybe to Sorai, since she enjoyed it so much....._

_He aleady smiled slightly around Rin, and the girl loved it, and around Kagome.._.he shuddered inwardly. _She would probaly take a picture of him with her 'cam-re-a' and then have it stuck all around the castle. If not to blackmail him. She was too evil to smile infront of....honestly, what Inuyasha saw in her was a TOTAL mytery to him. Another obscurity, ambiguity of life. One of the many, of which the list only increased since his idiot brother had come back into his life with his band of humans. Pfffffffft. Oh crap. Now he was making inuyasha noises in his mind! Shit! Crud!_

From behind him, a form came running, dressed in a miniskirt and a uniform top. Once she had approached the lord, it was easy to see why she was having a hard time running. She was laughing too hard to stand up straight, let alone run. "Hehe......Inuyasha noises?!" she gasped, her eyebrow twitching like crazy. After a second, she decided to give up the struggle and collapsed to the ground where she continued to have fits of giggles.

_What is this all about?_ He heard Sorai think. Meanwhile, kagome was still gasping on the ground. "Sess...hom....aru.....that....was..hilarious.... wait 'till I tell Inuyasha he's rubbing off on you!"

_Inuyasha? Rubbing off on me? When'd you come up with that?_

_After hearing you go 'pffffft' in your mind, just like Inuyasha. He even says that sound in his mind._

_I know he does._

_Then are you trying to imitate him?_

_No. I just thought it! It's from being around Inuyasha. Or rather him tagging behind me!_

"Um....are you alright? Kagome? Milord?" Sorai waved her hand rather akwardly infront of Kagome's face, then turning to look at Sesshomaru. The both had spaced out, and although they were doing it less these says, they were still doing it pretty often, and always when in the complany of each other. She was starting to think that the body swap thing had some sort of side effect on their brains.....

Turning around, she suddenly flicked Kagome in the nose. Kagome snapped out of her reverie, with Sesshomaru a second later. "Are you two ok?"

Sesshomaru straightened. "Why do you ask?"

"You two are spacing out, at the same time, in the same place, and it's been going on for a long time now!"

Kagome and Sesshomaru suddenly looked quite uncomfortable.

The miko in present tuged at her collar. "Um....so...yeah...I think I hear Kaede calling me....gotta go! See ya Sorai, Iceblock!" Sesshomaru twitched.

He wasn't sure wheather to thank Kagome for giving him a topic to change, or to curse her for how she did it. Calling him 'iceblock' wasn't exactly a favorable distraction, even if it DID work.

_I wonder what Sesshomaru would say if I called him 'iceblock'......_

He growled unconciously. _In no cirsumstances did he want Sorai calling him names and stuff like Kagome. He had his hands full with one overly cheerful miko, thankyou very much. And even if Sorai wasn't going to actually turn into a miko (that would just be painful) acting like Kagome was WAY too much. He would just have to kill her....not that he would EVER EVER want to kill her....at all...and she would, if she wanted to, put up a fight too......wait a second! What was he thinking? His mind kept on wandering in circles.... and for some reason, he passed Sorai every too often in the circle._

He shook his head. _This was stupid._ He had to get back to Rin now. "Sorai, I'll be back with Rin now." he informed her.

She nodded, and before he had a chance to turn himself, she whisked away. At once when she stepped in the castle, two servants ran up to her side and started blabbering something about 'having a lot to do' and 'where do you want' and 'what should we do' and typical leader stuff. Sesshomaru stared at her. _So she left all her duties to come here and stand by him? This is getting confusing....._

He shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts and paced back inside the room in which he spent all time available.

Kaede was hard at work. Applying balm to her fastly-spreading rash, tryong to force medicine down Rin's throat, you name it, Kaede was hard at work.

That's healer for you.

He sat down in his spot, on a chair placed there fr him. He would usually bring a book or some of his scrolls to read there..... it got a bit disturbing to look to Rin all the time....all he could think of how she was sick.

0000000000000000000

"Why do you ask?" Sango whispered back to Miroku, both of them sitting in the guest common room.

"Well......they DO both freqently spaces out like that toghether....and always when in each other's company....and well... it's a bit weird after a while isn't it? I'm starting to think that the body swap had some kind of effect on them..." she clarified.

Miroku put a hand on his chin thoughtfully. "They- Kagome does laugh at jokes no one but Sesshomaru understands a lot more often then before....he's the one smirking and we're all left clueless....'

Sango added. "It's almost like they can communicate with each other and tell jokes privately."

Miroku leaned in closer to Sango. "It's almost like they DO have some form of communication...."

Kaede agreed, coming out from Rin's room and into the guest's common room. She stated so clealy. "It looks like to me as if the body swap spell had some sort of side effect, wanted or not wanted. Like that time when I was thinking.....some irrelevant thoughts and Kagome suddenly started spulttering as if she could tell what I was thinking."

Miorku nodded. "I think...this is a large step to take...but they can....somewhow read each others mind....or something....all those times when Kagome just hit me for nothing, well, if I had been saying my thoughts outloud, then she would have hit me too...."

Sango gasped. "So, your saying that they have some sort of strange power....? You don't think....?!"

Miroku nodded. "Like that time right after you and Kagome put the beads of subdugation on Sesshomaru...they both fainted and there was a weird light! We couldn't figure it out then, but I think.....they started acting weird after that!"

0000000000000000000

Sesshomaru sat up straight as he noticed Rin up and walking around. "Rin? What are you doing up? You shouldn't be up!" he scolded the little girl, who look apologetic then smiled. "No, but Sesshomaru-sama, Kaede said I could walk again today!"

Kaede stepped out of the shadows, smiling. "I did. This child is well enough to be walking around, and if she doesn't get enough excersize then the fever's after effecs might start to affect her legs. Make sure you run around, eh?"she patted the girl's head.

Sesshoamru felt a wave of releif. Rin was finally well enough to be running around, but she really shouldn't overdo it. Besides, how come she was too sick to get up yesterday, but was being ordered to run around today? He looked down on her small form. She was still pale, but the rash that had spread across her body had fladed and flaked off. The bags under her eyes were still as dark as ever, and her cheeks were still slightly flushed from fever.

"What are you doing in my study, so far away from your bed?" he demanded. Just becaise the girl could walk deosn't mean she started roaming the catsle now.

She lost her smile for a second. Instead of answering him, she handed him something that made him truly remember old times.

The remains of his priavte gardens.

He stared, speechless at the fact, that she had gone into the gardens and had enough energy to uproot it in her current pale state. Just goes to prove that she wasn't all that weak. Thank goodness. Now that it had finally sunk in, that she was alright, Sesshomaru was so happy he could jump around like that hysterical miko if his pride let him. But since it didn't, he just compensated with a small smile as he led Rin back to her room and told her to go to sleep.

Next to know about Rin's health now, were Kohaku and Shippo, both of whom who came together for daily vists and were overjoyed. The castle was filled with joyful shouts (mostly from Shippo) before Kagome and Sango had to forcefully lead them out so Rin could get some rest.

Kohaku was releived, Sesshomaru could tell even without mindreading. That he had taken it upon himself to blame for Rin's sickness, seeing as he was the one with whom she had fallen in the pond with and all that. He didn't shout like Shippo, nor try to jump around like with her, he simply sat there and smiled widely for the world to know that he was glad.

But thought like that were for later, he dismissed, watching the begruding but generally happy smiles of Inuyasha and Kouga. Despite their claimes to hate Shippo and ALL his friends, they had been the ones running off to get her medicine.

Kagome hopped over to him. "This is great, isn't it? Rin's gotten better much faster then normal children with scarlet fever!" she beamed.

Sesshomaru's happiness was no less infectious, even if he didn't show it.

Miroku stood up. "Then, in the favor of Rin's health, I propose we a sake party!" the light in his eyes coulden't be good for everyone....

At once Sango smashed him down. "No." was her quick answer, and answer enough to make him shut up and sit down. "No crazy party, monk." both Kouga and Inuyasha threatned, quite unneededly, their friend.

"Yeah, we all know you only want a chance to get drunk and have an excuse for your lecherous actions!" Kagome declared. He smiled rather wolfishly, earning im another bop on the head from Sango.

Rin spoke up, coming over from Shippo and Kohaku. "Do you really want to celebrate that I'm well again, Sesshomaru-sama?" she asked cutely, with eyes so large that Sesshomaru had to look away for fear of starting to show any signs of being affected by how absoultuly CUTE she was. _This was getting a bit uncomfortable......even she know how to do the puppy eyes thing Inuyasha and Kagome had done.....it MUST be a conspiracy_!

Kagome giggled and put her hand on Rin's shoulder. "Rin, your starting to scare him!" Sesshomaru silently let a breath of relief. That was really awkward.

"But will I get a party?" she asked, now raising her puppy eyes to Kagome and Sango, who cooed mentally and pet her head. "of course!"

"Can I plan it?" she asked so innocently that even Inuyasha was forced to look away, while all the girls openly cooed and Kohaku and Shippo stared_. Where'd you learn how to to do THAT?!_ Shippo almost yelled out. _How come she knew how to do that and she isn't after world domination yet!_

"Yes, Rin I think that would be appropriate." She almost jumped for joy. "Kohaku and Shippo are going to plan it with me!" she cheered and ran over to her shocked friends. Once there, she snickered. "They have no idea what they just agreed to.....Kohaku, Shippo, we have to agree to make this the best party ever!"

They nodded. "Definitely."

After seeing the solemn expressions on their faces, she aimed a weak hit on Kohaku's shoulder. "Not that kind of best! We're going to make it the most amusing for us!" she grinned. "Like the evil kind of fun!"

Shippo grinned back but Kohaku shivered. "Rin...that look really doesn't suit you." she smiled back at him. Kohaku shivered again. _Women are evil....now I realize why Inuyasha and Miroku would say that........._

And for some reason only the heavens (and possibly Sesshomaru) would know, Kagome started laughing suddenly and ruffled his hair affectionately.

Kohaku looked up at the miko fawning over him. _Why was she laughing like this? And almost on cue with what he thought...he was sure that the adults would laugh and be amused if they knew what he was thinking....just like Kagome was._ He concluded suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

Something was definitely up with her. _And the way Sesshomaru had a small smirk while looking at him....._

0000000000000

Rin was happily giggling with Kohaku and Shippo. The girl had been granted her wish, she was allowed to use as much money as she wanted to on her little party, but of course of obvious personality reasons, she wanted to keep it simple and inexpensive. Even if this was Sesshomaru-sama's way of spoiling her.

She had been running around all week, prancing in and out of Sorai's office, Sesshomaru's study, and out of everyone's rooms, asking them to so various things for her and giving them her cutest puppy look so they couldn't refuse if they wanted to. Except for Kouga, who had urgent matters back in his tribe, and had left to take care of them, everyone else was helping her in their own ways, although they had no idea how what they were doing would help her any.

Kagome had asked to hurry up the party, supposedly because it had been way to long since she went to school and her exams were going to take place soon now, and therefore Rin was as busy as ever. She was using all of her recently regained power to the point that Sesshomaru had to vist her himself to tell her to get some sleep.

Fetching her stuff that they couldn't imagine for the life of them why she would need, was getting boring. Like chocolate and a pile of candy, and cotton, and toys, and fertilizer.

And another thing, she always asked the hard things from Inuyasha or Miroku. Getting stuff like fish from the koi pond, and helping her to label things all around the castle and other stuff among that.

She asked for things that were troublesome to get; like mud from every garden in the castle, and a strand of hair from every being in the castle ( except for Jaken because he didn't have any hair) without them knowing.

Rin, Kohaku and Shippo laughed to high heaven and back watching Miroku get chased by people for trying to rob their hair.

Finally, the day came. Rin was running around busily; her still slightly pale face flushed from excitement. But, alas, at the hour set......it poured. First huge hail; then raindrops as large as her thumb. She wasn't going to let the weather stop her, though. They held the arrangemnet in the rain; with a tent above them that Sorai had managed to set up at last minute.

Huddling outside the door while the grownups ate and drank (in moderation) Kohaku looked at his two friends. "Are you sure you want to do this; Rin, shippo?" he asked. They both nodded solemnly. "All right. Then I trust you know the plan?" they nodded again. He grinned. "Tonight, we're going to find out what's with Kagome....and maybe Lord Sesshomaru while we're at it!" he prepped.

Rin patted his head. "Kohaku, it's alright. We'll discover it today for sure!" he gave her what could be decifered as a insolent glare.

Rin entered the tent in which Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Sorai, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, Shippo, Kouga, Jaken, and a few of the servants were in. It was basically a tea party in the rain. Kaede had gone back to Edo despite her begging, saying that she had healer duties to attend to.

She had on a kimono like she always wore, except she had changed the color to jelly red. Kohaku smiled from beside her, himself wearing a white hakama. "This is going to be great!" Shippo exclaimed, looking at the sweets piled on the table.

"Don't stuff yourself!" she laughed back at the kitsune in a dark green silk haori.

"I will!" he replied back cheekily and ran over to his surrogate mother sitting in jeans and silk shirt. Sesshomaru made his way over from his chair. He silently pet her head; nothing needed to be said. He was releived that she was better, and she knew it. Going back to sleep in his own room proved it.

Kagome had gone through the trouble of making Inuyasha dress fomally; for which reason he was pouting in the corner.

_I haven't worn a formal clothes for DECEADES what's the problem now?!_ He fumed looking at the girl who put him through the trouble of waring this silk red haori and hakama with white cherry blossom petals floating past through the shoulder and over the chest. The white of the petals matched perfectly with his hair; and the red he wore was now gleamy and shiny. He actually looked quite good, but he wasn't going to admit that anytime soon. Kagome had wanted to make him wear clip-on doggy earrings but he rebelled. Severely.

Where they got the new clothes from (everyone except for Kagome) was not a mystery anymore. They had met the smug castle seamster yesterday. "You all are in dire need of some fashion sense and a new wardbrobe!" the eagle demon had proclmaied pompously. Sesshomaru immediately took his robe and left without too many comments, but Taka had annoyed the rest of them to no end. Kagome didn't have her own clothes measured; so she simply tried and failed to contain Inuyasha. Too bad for Inuayasha, Taka was a reasonable fighter and was able to dodge the attacks until he cooled down. His room didn't fare so well though...

Since it was a children's party Sesshomaru had strictly prohibited sake; a rule of about which Miroku was currently complaining about.

"A little sake wouldn't have hurt the children, Lord Sesshomaru." he reasoned. Sesshomaru shot him a glare that re-set hell afire if one of previous looks froze it. Miroku gulped and ceased complaining immediately, but he stayed with Sesshomaru for a occasional conversation and drinking tea. Kagome was trying to cope with a still-pouting-inuyahsa, and Sango had threatned to knock his teeth out if he went anywhere in a ten foot distance of her; as a punishment of an _action_ committed earlier. Therefore, he had decided on Sesshomaru to give company (coughbugcough) to.

Shippo gave Rin a look of dertemination, and huddled behind the great demon lord's legs. Kohaku stood by Kagome, hand twitching and mentally telling himself, that here, timing was everything. Rin blinked. She at one jumped up as fast as she could onto Sesshomaru, holding onto his neck and swinging around with both her hands despertaely cluinging onto the back of his collar.

His eyes windened in shock and he backpedaled.....tripping over Shippo.

He went sprawling on the ground with Rin ontop of him, just when Kohaku pushed Kagome over his outstretched foot, making her stumble...and fall on top of Sesshomaru, without even Rin in the middle, because she had rolled aside just in time.

Inuyahsa's eyebrow twitched.

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru beneath her, hair fanned out, with his eyes as wide as she'd even seen them go. Carefully, she removed her elbow from his shoulder, and got up to the side, brushing off her clothes.

Sesshomaru glared at anyone who bothered to stare, before doing a garecful leap up and went on drinking his tea like nothing had happened.

Miroku whisled. Sango's jaw dropped along with her plate.

"Hey! Sesshomaru! Whaddya think your doing?!" Inuyahsa yelled at his half brother, throwing his tea across the tent, landing quite hilariously on Jaken's head.

"Drinking my tea, brother, before it gets cold. I suggest you do the same." He replied cooly, then took another sip totally oblivious to everyone except for Kagome staring at him.

Besides, Kagome already apologized about three hundred times in her mind right now.

"This was.......weird?" Kagome offered, trying at failing to look innocent.

Mirkou put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "This.........**incident** could mean two things. One, that they're quite used to that position and therefore-" He was smacked by Inuyasha before continuing any further.

"Or it could mean that Kagome already apologized." Rin said slyly, from the side. When all she recieved were confused looks, she clarified, "Mentally."

Rin turned her eyes toward the two. "Sesshomaru-sama and Kagome-sama.....you can read minds, can't you?"

Kagome visibaly jerked and balked while Sesshomaru blanched, now finally putting down his tea. Kohaku and Shippo stepped out on either side of Rin. "You can, can't you?" Kohaku confirmed.

Sesshomaru smirked and let out a good natured laugh. Yes, he laughed. It wasn't even a evil one either. It was enough to send the other already traumasized guests into a coma.

Despite staying with Sesshomaru all the time and knowing him better then anyone else, the sound of his rarely heard laugh made her look up at him and smile. He smiled back, making the two by her side cringe at the sight while she beamed sunnily back at him. He knelt down by her and patted her head. Sorai was the first one to come out of her reverie. (except for kagome who was now frantically looking for something to do or say and blushing furiously) "I KNEW IT!" she yelled and pointed her finger at Sesshomaru and Kagome. "You two ARE phsycic, I don't know why or how, but you respond to everyone's thoughts!"

Inuyasah looked faint. "Y-y-you.....mean.....you could read all my thoughts?" he asked, almost giving into the urge to lean on something for support. Kagome nodded a bit ashamedly; the cat was out of the bag.

He crossed his arms. "Prove it again. This might have been a fluke." Kagome replied almost automiatically, "Miroku, get your mind out of the gutter." Miroku looked down but Kouga didn't belive it. "Miroku's mind is always in the gutter! That's not proof!" he protested.

Sesshomaru straigtened. " I suppose there is no merit in hiding it now; miko." she grinned sheepishly. "Nop, iceblock."

"Phsycic iceblock" he corrected. Kagome let out a throaty laugh. Sango stared. _So THIS was the reason they were frank with each other! They probably talked to each other all the time in their minds!_

Inuyasha suddenly pointed at Kagome. "So THAT'S what the lipsing thing was about!" he yelled excitedly. She nodded. "You fell for it."

he sighed in releif. "Good. There was NO way I would nominate Kouga as better then me!"

He suddenly reddened. _Kagome, can you hear me?_ She nodded in his direcetion. _That's how you found out what I was thinking that day...........when you kissed me...._he added unconciously, forgetting Kagome was listening.

Sesshomaru let out a snort. "Little brother, when you think things like that with Kagome, remember that I can hear you."

Inuyasha paled.

Kohaku and Shippo, who had been watching the spectacle with Rin, jumped up in joy. "We figured it out!" they yelled. "And we proved it too!" Rin added, smiling.

Sorai put her clawed hand on Kohaku's shoulder. "Aou three are too smart for your own good." she taunted. She got back three wolfish grins.

"I think we raised devils...." Kagome said helplessly, looking back and forth from one grinning mastermind to the other.

"Kaede suspected it too, I think. I heard her murmering something about kagome freaking out when she thought something......I wonder what that was?" Sango asked. Kagome grasped for words. "Um......yeah....she was wondering why I was so frank with Sesshomaru...." on the word 'frank' and poked Sesshomaru in the side. He didn't even flinch.

0000000000000000

Sesshomaru was walking back to his study from the tea party with Sorai.

"I suspected it, but knowing it is still a shock." she commented on the evening's activites. "Does this really mean you've been reading all out minds since you had a rosary?" she asked, cocking her head up to see his face. She simply couldn't take it in.

he nodded. A few seconds later, he smiled inwardly at the demoness when she head a mental meltdown. _Oh no! He's been reading all the thought about him...everything I thought...think......i hope he doesn't turn away from me beciae I've started acting like the couteaseans he hates so much......oh please don't do that, Lord Sesshomaru!_

"Sorai, I can still mind read." he informed her, and then watched her blush and stammer somthing about forgetting.

_Now he knows everything. I wonder if he will....._ she thought again, unable to keep herself from thinking. Afterall, the mind was SUPPOSED to be the most private place to keep your thoughts.

"Will?" Sesshomaru asked. A pink tinge crept across her face.

After a few seconds silence, Sesshomaru interrupted her franticlly supressed thoughts again.

"I am relieved." he said.

Sorai looked up curoiusly. "That....I'm like this-you're like this." he said simply, his tone barely out of the monotone accents.

Sorai could barely believe what was happening. _He was......accepting her!_

"You may call it that." he answered. _Damn! I keep on forgetting that he read my mind.....what a cool add to his abilites!_

Sesshomaru chuckled. Sorai cursed mentally again. A few seconds later a bold hand found it's way to Sesshomaru's fluff.

"Don't ever make me say something so emotion-filled again, ADVISOR." he joked, half serious. "I don't plan to, LORD SESSHOMARU." she teased back cheekily. Saying that, she ran off to her room as fast she could to calm herself down. (which was quite fast) She was going to start jumping around with happiness if she stayed any longer.

Sesshomaru stated after her running blur, amused.

0000000000000000

Next morning, Kagome jumped him as soon as he exited his room. Not that she caught him off guard (he could smell her from half a mile away), but he still jerked slightly. She was on his back, her langs wrapping around his high waist in a piggy back ride. With her chin on his shoudler, she leaned towards his ear and said, "Say...Sesshomaru....you must have been tired last night." when he didn't respond, she continued, not bothering to converse mentally. "You know...having the phycic secret, a party, daily duties AND a confession to Sorai all in one day...."

The taiyoukai sighed. It was bound to get out sooner or later, since Sorai couldn't stop herself from thinking things like that. Might as well admit it. "Yes, Kagome, I did." he said slightly wearily.

"Did whaaaaat?" she asked, tightening her grip on his shoudler.

"Confessed to Sorai."

"Confessed whaaaaat?" she prompted.

"That I appreciate her, and I am releived that she is here. Happy?"

"No." kagome pouted. "From her memory it was a lot less professional. But still not straightforward."

"Like you and Inuyasha?" he asked her, smirking. He felt a weak impact of what might have been a punch in his back. "No! You didn't even tell her straight that you love her!"

Sesshomaru smirked again. "She knows."

Kagome was so surpised she dropped from his back and fell hard on her back with her mouth wide open.

"Come out!" Sesshomaru commanded to the pillar out from which stepped a sheepish Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Kouga and Sorai. "Just by taking baths, doesn't finish your scent, it only dims it. I can smell you from this close." A great deal of embarassed grumbling later, Soria looked upto her lord and smiled. He let a shadow of a ghost pass his lips looking at her. Kagome sprang up immediately and waved her hand wildy towards the two. "SEE?! I TOLD YOU! I KNEW IT!" she yelled manically loud.

"Hai, hai." Inuyasha and Kouga replied wearliy as they both turned to leave the couple in peace. "NOT GONNA HAPPEN!" Kagome yelled again. "Sesshomaru has a girlfriend! I have to use this opputinty to bug him! You two will never be alone......NEVER!" she declared. Sorai calmly flicked a wind barrier around the crazed miko and carried her to follow Inuyasha and Kouga.

00000000000000000

_This is it_. Kagome whispered. Kouga had handed her his bloody shard a few days before, silently with an unreadble expresstion on his face, and Sesshomaru had revived Kohaku after taking out the jewel shard. Sango was hysterical with joy.

She gathered the jewel in on hand and concentrated on unifying it. This little jewel was the start of it all...her adventures in the fuedal era, the reason the caterpillar demon had dragged her down the well in the first place. And now, when she opened her palm, it was comlpete. What to do with it; she didn't know. She had already decided that this era was like her second home, and now she could never leave one. I _guess I get two lifestyles now,_ she thought, marveling over the innncent looking purple light emitting out of it. _I love them all too much to leave now. Mybe I could even start a buisness by bringing things from this era through the well.....and when they atomatically age; voila! They're antiqes!_

Kagome chucked. _The idea wasn't bad......_

The jewel unified in her hand, and glowed bright enough that it was blinding. Her arm was shivering suddenly, and her mind was blank. Slowly, trembling, the jewel made it's way to her face.

Her mouth and jaw refused to stay closed, and the jewel sunk in. She swallowed.

"I swallowed the jewel."

Huge disbeleiving bug eyes from everyone at the dinner table when she finally brought up the topic.

"I swallowed the shikon jewel. I'm a trained miko now, I can hide it's power. The shikon-no-tama is no more!" she cheered. Kouga and Inuyasah were dumbfounded and too shocked to move. _She had done WHAT?!_

_It was an abnoramally simple solution......but if it worked.....then kuso. This was all it took? SWALLOWING IT?! Damn this was crazy......_

_SUCH. A. GODDAMN. SIMPLE. SOLUTION._

Inuyasha hated the jewel. Kouga hated the jewel. And they both hated themselved of not thinking of this outragoeously stupidly simple solution before.

And thourgh it it all, Kagome had only marveled at the feeling of the jewel melting painlessly through her stomach flesh to the position it was in for most of her life; on the side of her stomach, in the flesh. Where it was now.

_It was all over!_ Kagome felt like cheering.

000000000000000000

"See ya later, If you don't invite me to your wedding, I WILL come and kill you all!" kagome threatened Sorai, who had come to see them off. Sango wanted to get back to demon slaying, her passion, her job. Miroku.....well he just wanted to settle down with Sango....

They were heading back to Edo, for Kagome's exams and to live there. "say, where's Sesshomaru?" she asked Sorai. "I think he said he was going to the hotsprings or something..." she replied thoughtfully.

The miko let out a small 'eep' and proceeded to drag everyone on kilala as fast as she could. "we have to leave now, we'll visit, even if you don;t want us to!" she yelled, jumping on Inuyasha. "i'm not a horse, Kagome. A little slower..." he muttered reffering to the backwards jrek he got when the miko hopped onto him.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go! Mush!" she yelled. Inuyasha's ear twitched and he took off running, with Kilala carrying Shippo, Kohaku, Sango and Miroku flying above them.

Sorai let out a small smile from where she stood by the castle. The miko.....was unique enough to change everything, and everyone. And she had proven it.

000000000000000000000

exactly fiev mintues later a shreik from inside the castle made Sorai realize why Kagome was in such a hurry to leave. She feared for her life.

Sesshomaru raged outside, dressed only in a knee length yukata he used for bathing. Sorai looked up and burst into hyterics. His hair was neon pink.

"**KA-GO-ME!!!**" he holllered at the top of his voice. About five minutes of travel distance apart, they could hear his scream loud and clear. Kagome and Inuaysha high-fived despite Kgaome being on Inuaysha, and grinned.

"What did you do?" Sango asked wearliy, almost fealing sorry for the taiyoukai they left behind.

"I gave him shampoo." she anwered, biting her lip to keep from laughing. Inuayasha smirked. "You have no idea....."

0000000000000000

Sorai had to sit down to keep from falling over. She was laughing so hard that after a moment breathing became a pain. Sesshomaru, with neon pink hair. Oh wow, this was a sight to behold. The aforementioned, now pink-haired person tapped his foot.

"Sorai, this isn't funny." he said irritably, although he privately admitted that if it happened to someone else.......Inuyahsa lets say, it would be hilarious. Right now he just hoped that it came off in a week before a political meeting with the Lords of Japan. Sorai was still laughing her wits out on ground of the castle gardens, by the gate where a certain evil miko had left.

_It doesn't look bad, you know._ She said in her mind, not being able to gather her breath enough to say it out loud.

"Sorai, I have PINK hair. Get real." he said sourly. For once he didn't bother hiding his emotions.

_You look as handsome as ever, Sesshomaru._ She replied.

"Are you trying to make me feel better or something?" he asked.

_Nop! I'm trying to flatter you._

"And why would you do that?" he was almost curious now.

_hm.....would you begrudge me if I said I wanted a kiss right now? I never kissed a pink haired person before. Always wanted to, though._

"I'll think about it." he sad thoughtfully. It must have looked strange to onlookers that Sesshomaru was the only one talking.

_You're being cold hearted right now, you know that?_

"Im a demon. A powerful, bloodthirsty, cold, sadistic bastard to quote Kagome."

I don't think so.....

"If you really want it so much then you doesn't have to go through all of this." His voice was perfectly monotone.

_Ok, fine. And she leaned foreward and gave him a slight peck on the cheek before walking back to the castle._

"That's it? On the cheek only?"

_Ooops, forgive me. I didn't know you didn't like being kissed on the cheek._

"That wasn't even a proper kiss. More like a hard peck."

_I have work to do........MI'LORD._

"Alright, of you want to be a workaholic, fine then, ADVISOR. I'll see you some other time."

_No doubt you will._ Sorai thought offhandedly, trudging through the gardens back to her favorite yellow room, smiling, a silently wondering whether Sesshomaru would let her wash his hair in hopes of getting the dye off later.

000000

It's finished!

The story had come to an end. It was a bit abrubt, but here it is. For some reason, strories in which you smell the climax from a mile away, are boring to me. Sorry if you disagree, but I like this ending. Kagome continues to live double lives, and everyone is happy and dainty. What more could you want?

And no, there was no way in hell I would write a scene with Inuyasha and Kagome, Sesshomaru and Sorai, and Sango and Miroku married. NO WAY. I like the characters as they are, not all grown up and married. This is kinda an open ending, but stories never end for good unless everyone is dead...which I couldn't do. I had a hard enough time killing Naraku and Usagi....

Please, tell me how you liked it, I will be indebted to you. And no, just because this story is completed doesn't mean people reading this after the completing date don't have to leave reviews. I will still reply, and and I will ALWAYS want to know how people liked Naraku's Mind Games.

But no, I will not be in the Inuyahsa fanom anymore. I read the ending if the manga....and my enthusisasm sapped right there. I dunno why...it seemed ok enough?

And I'm now tired of Inu....really. Newest anime obsessions: Bleach, Kyou Kara Maou, Shugu Chara etc. (I only watched the first episode of Shugu Chara but I loved it and plan on watching more soon.)

Soooooo, it has been a pleasure writing this for you all, when I had writers block, your awesome ideas and reviews kept this story (and me) going. Thanks!

-0mohni0


End file.
